553.885 Carbon monoxide alarm required.--



(1) Every building for which a building permit is issued for new construction on or after July 1, 2008, and having a fossil-fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage shall have an approved operational carbon monoxide alarm installed within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping purposes.

(2) The Florida Building Commission shall adopt rules to administer this section and shall incorporate such requirements into its next revision of the Florida Building Code.




The final rule



9B-3.0472 Carbon Monoxide Protection.

(1) Definitions: For purposes of this rule, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM. A device for the purpose of detecting carbon monoxide, that produces a distinct audible alarm, and is listed or labeled with the appropriate standard, either ANSI/UL 2034 - 96, Standard for Single and Multiple Station CO Alarms, incorporated herein by reference, or UL 2075 - 04, Gas and Vapor Detector Sensor, incorporated herein by reference, in accordance with its application. Both documents may be obtained by writing to: Codes and Standards Section, Department of Community Affairs, 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100.

(b) FOSSIL FUEL. Coal, kerosene, oil, fuel gases, or other petroleum or hydrocarbon product that emits carbon monoxide as a by-product of combustion.

(2) Every building for which a permit for new construction is issued on or after 7/1/08 and having a fossil-fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage shall have an operational carbon monoxide alarm installed within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping purposes.

(3) In new construction, alarms shall receive their primary power from the building wiring when such wiring is served from the local power utility. Such alarms shall have battery back up.

(4) Combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms shall be listed or labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.

Specific Authority 553.885(2) FS. Law Implemented 553.72, 553.73(2), (3), (7), (9), 553.885(2) FS. History–New 11-18-07.

Thanks!

Everyone may want to note it states building permit issued on July 1, 2008 not date of application for building permit.

Thanks for keeping us updated Don!

You may want to note there is a DEC statement that is going to be discussion August 12 by the Mechanical TAC. It is dealing with existing structures. This is NOT the Official Dec questions but should be very close to what was finally submitted.

1. Does the rule apply only to new construction of a new building, or does it also apply to additions or alterations as defined in the FEBC?

2. If the rule applies to additions, does an addition require the complete existing structure to comply with installing CO detectors as prescribed in the rule? (hardwired and battery back up)

a. For Example: If an attached garage or a screen enclosure is added to an existing home, are CO detectors required to be installing within the complete existing structure?

3. If the rule applies to all alterations, does it require the complete existing structure to comply with installing CO detectors as prescribed in the rule? (hardwired and battery back up)

a. Example #1: If a new gas furnace is installed in an existing home, whereas it was electric before, are CO detectors required to be installing within the complete existing structure?

b. Example #2: If any type of permit is issued on the existing structure are CO detectors required to be installing within the complete existing structure?

4. If the answer is yes to the questions 2 or 3 above, must hardwired CO detectors be installed with a battery backup?

5. Does the rule apply to repairs, as defined by the FEBC?

6. Does the rule apply to a change in occupancy to a change in occupancy, as defined by the FEBC?

Thanks again!

These are good questions. I would be inclined to treat CO alarms the same way smoke alarms are handled. This way enforcement of the two alarm types are kept consistent.

I also feel this matter will be resolved by the manufacturer of smoke and CO alarms. It will only be a matter of time before all alarms are combination type. This will eliminate the need for having separate rules for each alarm type and allow for one consistent rule for "alarms" in general.

Is there any question of placement? As far as I know CO at or near ambient temperature may not rise up to a ceiling mounted smoke detector. I would think "bed height" might be the most effective location and it is clear from our "smoke in the tray" discussions aesthetics are not important to the code

The reason the NFPA 720 and carbon monoxide alarm manufacturer’s installation instructions call for the location to be in the same vicinity of smoke alarms is due to the fact that most sickness and death caused by carbon monoxide is a result of the by-product of combustion. This heated air heavily diluted with CO tends to rise and follow the wall up to the ceiling.

I just think the heat condition is different. Smoke detectors are there to see the smoke from a fire in that vicinity. The CO could be coming in from quite a ways away. The classic Florida example is the generator in the garage. The exhaust heat is fairly quickly dissipated but the CO can travel the length of an at grade home pretty much at ambient temperature. In the northern scenario, a cracked heat exchanger will put the CO in the room as heated HVAC air but it will still be injected at or near floor level.