Hagedorn Seeks to Make Carbon Monoxide
Detectors Mandatory in Colorado Homes
Detectors Mandatory in Colorado Homes
DENVER—Today the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee approved a bill to require carbon monoxide detectors in new or resold Colorado homes.
Sponsored by Senator Bob Hagedorn (D-Aurora), the bill would require all single and multi-family dwellings sold after July 1, 2008 to be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms near bedrooms if the dwelling has a fuel burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, and/or an attached garage.
The bill would also require that any building permit issued for new construction of a single or multi-family dwelling, including rental properties, be subject to the same provisions.
“Carbon monoxide is called ‘the silent killer’ because it’s odorless and colorless,” said Hagedorn. “A cracked furnace box can be fatal to a family. A $20 carbon monoxide monitor can prevent long-term health complications or death caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. This is a common sense safety measure to save lives in Colorado.”
The bill would establish requirements for the maintenance and installation of alarms in rental properties, and requires that prior to renting to a new tenant a landlord must replace or repair an existing alarm as needed. A multi-family rental building may be installed with an alarm near the central heating unit in the building, if the alarm is able to notify a responsible person. The bill permits a local government to set more stringent requirements for the installation of alarms.
SB08-187 next heads to the full Senate for consideration.
