If you are at all like me I don't like lots of new laws but the carbon monoxide one makes sense and will save lives.
Many years ago when we lived in town on Pinecrest Drive my youngest daughter, Nicole, had just learned all about carbon monoxide in one of her classes at school. She was all excited and insisted that we immediately install a detector for our safety. Needless to say I was not exactly in a rush to get to the store but she was insistent. As I recall we made the trip to the local hardware store the next day. Long story short - we installed a carbon monoxide detector and it probably saved our lives. Shortly thereafter the alarm sounded and sure enough we discovered our furnace was spewing carbon monoxide.
Dubbed the "silent killer" carbon monoxide is a dangerous, poisonous gas that you cannot detect and it kills more than 2000 U.S. citizens each year and sends tens of thousands to the emergency room.
On February 1, 2011, Wisconsin's new carbon monoxide detector law will go into effect. Essentially all homes must have a carbon monoxide detector. It requires all one and two-family homes to have installed carbon monoxide alarms in the basement of the dwelling and on each floor level except the attic or storage area of both newly constructed and existing homes. So, for existing homes you can have battery operated monitors rather than going to the expense of a hard-wired system. If you are building a new home the alarms must be hard-wired in order to be current with national model safety codes.
Homes with no attached garages, no fireplaces and no fuel-burning fireplaces are exempted from this requirement. The new carbon monoxide detector law does not have a fine or penalty associated with non-compliance.
Take it from me and my family, we are here today as a result of having spent less than 50 bucks for a monitor that we simply plugged into our lower level wall outlet. It's the law but even if it wasn't I would still be recommending that you protect yourself and your family.
Life is a Gift...Live It!
Gary Nathan
Amanda Mavis
Woodland Dev. & Realty
15563 Railroad St.
Hayward, WI 54843
715-699-4040
nathan@garynathan.com
http://www.garynathan.com/
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