Fire Prevention

Safety Tip

Effective February 22, 2010, a new law went into effect in New York (Amanda's Law (PDF)) to help protect families from the Number 1 cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the U.S., carbon monoxide (CO).

The new law requires the following:

• CO Alarms must be installed in all new and existing one and two-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings and rentals having any fuel-burning appliance, system or attached garage.
• The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends CO Alarms be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
• To comply with the law, CO alarms must be listed to comply with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 or Canadian Standards Association (CSA) 6.19 and installed in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.
• CO Alarms should be replaced every five years in order to benefit from the latest technology and upgrades. Also the Carbon Monoxide sensors inside the alarm unit can wear out over time.

Number of CO Alarms Needed

How many CO Alarms should I have in my home to best protect my family?

Number of Levels X Number of bedrooms = (Number of Alarms you should have)

Example: A two story home with a basement and three bedrooms should have six CO Alarms.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon Monoxide detectors can be purchased at most home improvement stores for a reasonable price. For more information, please contact us at 845-569-7405.