During the December 2006 storm in Western Washington over 1000 people were treated at emergency rooms and 8 people died because of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. It is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas that is caused by all combustion. People did bring charcoal burners into properties. But, if your neighbor does that you could be poisoned by the gas seeping through walls.
The Washington State legislature passed a law in April 2009 requiring CO alarms. The statute requires building code council to adopt rules to require them in all new residential properties.
The statute also says that all owner occupied single family residences legally occupied before this act are exempt.
However, for any owner occupied single family residence that is sold on or after the effective date of this act (July 2009) the seller must equip the residence with CO alarms in accordance with the requirement of the state building code before a buyer can occupy the residence. RCW 19.27.530 (1)b.
In April 2010, there was a proposed change in the law as passed. The change as discussed in HB 2886 which is in committee "removes the statutory requirement for the installation of a carbon monoxide alarm when an owner-occupied, single family residence is sold."
The Bill also extends the date to January 2013 that all existing multi family residential occupancies must have a CO alarm.
It also requires the building council to adopt rules that are consistent with the smoke detectors, when applying for building permit.
But, the proposed change did NOT go through the legislature... maybe the CO alarm companies had a big lobby... because as the way the law is right now over 10,800 alarms will have to be installed per WEEK in Washington state to meet the deadline of July 2011!
So that is the latest on that issue.
