Carbon Monoxide Alarms

1
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
ICC Code Technology Committee Public Hearing on
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms September 22, 2005

• Brandon Tudor
• Manager, Technical Services
• GAMA

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GAMA supports the installation of CO alarms in
all one and two family dwelling units in the U.S.
The CO alarms should

• Be listed to ANSI UL 2034, Standard for Single
  and Multiple Station CO Alarms, or CSA 6.19,
  Residential Carbon Monoxide Detectors.
• Be installed according to NFPA 720, Standard for
  the Installation of Carbon Monoxide Warning
  Equipment in Dwelling Units.
• Have battery backup to operate during power
  outages.

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Sources of CO
CPSC Averages for 1999-2001 (Does not include
automobile incidents)
54
45
Average fatalities per year
7
7
16
4
1
10
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CO Alarms in ALL homes

• Due to the many potential sources of CO, the only
  way to combat the issue is to require CO alarms
  in all homes, regardless of the type of
  appliances installed.

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Implications of Code Change

• This will affect new residences only.
• Minimizes cost.
• Combination smoke/CO alarms.

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CO Alarm Standardsaddressing reliability

• As a potential life saving safety device, CO
  alarms should be listed to a product standard.
• ANSI UL 2034
• CSA 6.19

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Improvements in Standards

• Current proposals for UL 2034
• 1. End-of-life Requirement (3 year minimum)
• 2. New Requirements for Detector Performance
  Under Varying CO Levels (addresses time varying
  CO levels)
• Updates to UL 2034
• 1. Display Accuracy
• 2. Low Humidity Testing