A Minnesota regulation requiring carbon monoxide (CO) detectors on existing apartments, condominiums and other multifamily dwellings is bringing new business to integrators in that state, sources tell
SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION magazine.
The statewide regulation, which went into effect Aug. 1, stems from a 2006 law that outlined a three-step phase-in of mandated CO detection. Existing single-family homes needed to comply by Aug. 1, 2008, and new construction permitted after Jan. 1, 2007 must have the detectors.
Since the new multidwelling requirement went into effect, Custom Alarm of Rochester, Minn., has already seen a spike in orders from apartment buildings, says Nikki Johnson, the installing company's marketing director.
"We have a great deal of customers for whom we do annual fire alarm inspections," Johnson says. "These customers are very proactive with their systems; they get inspections and do regular maintenance. They are very good on staying up to date on codes, and have been the first to call in and make arrangements for getting their systems up to date."
The law requires a CO detector within 10 feet of any sleep room.
As additional steps, Custom Alarm has met with the fire marshal to review how the detectors should be installed, added information about the law to its e-newsletters to educate customers and added a CO addendum to existing contracts. The addendum, which all customers must sign and return, outlines response procedures.
Custom Alarm includes a link to the new law in the newsletter, so customers can read the law themselves.
Minnesota's regulation comes amidst a rising tide of CO detection legislation. The laws have been passed to limit accidental deaths due to poisoning by the colorless and odorless gas, and have increased business for integrators that install the detectors. So far, 24 states have laws on the books, five have pending bills and 21 haven't addressed the issue (with Virginia, Arizona and Indiana being the most populous states).
"Needless to say there has been considerable [legislative] activity in the last two years relating to carbon monoxide detection, and I see no slowdown," says Richard Roberts, industry affairs manager for detection devices manufacturer System Sensor.