This is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week in Ontario. Timmins chief fire prevention officer Rock Rice says this is the only province that has a law requiring a carbon monoxide alarm outside any bedroom in your home.
“So if you are sleeping and there is this silent killer in your home,” he notes, “the alarm will ring and should wake you up.”
Carbon monoxide is produced by any heating appliance that has a flame. Because the odourless, colourless gas can come from your furnace or water heater, Rice says some people think the basement is a good place for a detector.
“But if you’re sleeping, you will never hear that in the basement.”
The law also requires you to have a detector in your garage, if it’s attached to the house.