Press Releases...

For Immediate Release:                                                                                   

January 2, 2007                                                                                            

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Carbon Monoxide Detector Law Takes Effect

Jacksonville, IL…

…. In accordance with the Illinois Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector Act that was approved in the General Assembly last year, Illinois homeowners, landlords and owners of occupied buildings with one or more sleeping areas, are now required to install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.  The law applies to residences that use fossil fuels, such as  natural gas, propane, coal, oil, gasoline or wood , for heating or cooking, as well as homes that have an attached garage.   Homes that use electricity for heating and cooking and have a detached garage are exempt from this law.

“Carbon monoxide is a silent killer” said State Representative Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville).  “You can't see it, smell it, or taste it. We approved this legislation in order to combat the 15,200 emergency department visits, and 500 to 600 deaths caused by carbon monoxide poisoning nationally every year.”

The new law that went into effect on January 1^st requires the homes and apartments to have an approved, operating carbon monoxide detector installed within 15 feet of any sleeping area. The detector may be battery operated, a plug-in with a battery back-up, or wired into the home’s AC power with a secondary battery back-up.  “Carbon monoxide detectors, like smoke detectors, are truly life safety devices that no one should be without” Watson said.   

In the case of rental property, while it is the owners responsibility to supply and install the detector it is the tenant who must test, maintain and replace the batteries when needed in the detector.  “The tenant must notify the owner in writing of any problem” said Watson.  “They must also permit the owner access to the detector to correct any problem.

Other tips and measures you should be aware of:

Installing a CO detector:

• Install the detector within 15’ of any room used for sleeping in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not install a CO detector near your kitchen or garage or in a room with a furnace.
• If your CO detector goes off and you feel ill, leave the house and call 911 or the local fire department.  If you don’t feel ill, push your detector’s reset button.  If the alarm goes off again after a few minutes, open the windows, leave the house and call 911 or the local fire department.

Safety measures:

• Never heat your home with your gas range or oven.
• Never burn charcoal inside your home or garage.
• Never run a combustion engine, such as your car, lawn mower or snow blower, in an enclosed area.

Recognize the symptoms of CO poisoning:

• Dizziness, nausea, headache and coughing
• Irregular heartbeat
• Pale skin with cheery red lips and ear tips

“If you have not already installed a CO detector in your home, please do so as soon as possible because it is not only an important safety device for you and your family, it is now the law”  Rep. Watson said. "And while you are at it take a minute to also check and/or change the batteries in your smoke detectors."