New Law Requires Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Homes

[KC6ZGG]

[Chesslike]

[mopdog]

Safety is never a bad idea, but I do know (form the Senate Analysis) that the supporters include the California Alarm Association, the California Retailers Association, Home Depot, and the State Association of Electrical Workers.    At a guess of 8M households in California, to be equipped with 2 detectors each,with a low-end cost of $20 per detector (not including labor), we're looking at $320M to comply (~$345M including sales tax).  The bill states there's 20 to 30 deaths per year in CA by CO poisoning.    So, by these numbers, at a bare minimum, we're saving lives at a minimum cost of over $11,000,000 per life.   High-end estimate is $52M per life.   (These are totally unqualified estimates, but I think they're ballparkish right).    I'm a natural-born optimizer.   While we don't like to talk about the value of a human life, I think we can still say if we can save lives at $1,000,000 per life, it's probably a better utilization of resources than if it's costing $52M per life.   Long live Smith's invisible hand.  Long live personal responsibility.   

[KathySC]

some years ago our carbon monixide detector went off in the early morning hours.  I opened all the windows just to be safe (it was winter, naturally) and bundled up.  I was sure the thing was just crazy and tried taking it outside to see if it would still go off, etc.  Finally when it was normal morning hours we called the fire dept.  They came out and initially said it was nothing to worry about and then they discovered a high reading coming from a crack in our furnace. 

The furnace was replaced and I always make sure we have a carbon monixide detector installed on each floor.  As "insurance" goes it's the cheapest policy we have.

[wrightwoodgirl]

[SkierBob]

How about these stats in 2008 11,700 people died because of drunk drivers In 2009 10,839 so why don't we put breathalyzers in cars so you blow 0 before the car starts? Just my 2 cents

 

[MMB]

I recall resistance to smoke detectors and paint without lead and cigarretes packs with benign health risk labels that refuse to spell out the truth of the life saving matters.  Yet, literature suggests statistical evidence that smoke detectors, lead free paint, and truthful reminders on cigarrette packs, uncluding "buckling up" saves lives.    My 2 cents.

[tach18k]

They require these devices, and thats fine. but to say 1 in 1000 have them in there homes, not a real point to push. The device is just pretty new to market. Not everyone even knows they are even around. Mostly thoes who bring a bbq into the house to heat the room. But thats not illegal, just plain stupidness.

[Naughty pines]

Just a stupid question.
Does a smoke detector work the same as a co detector ?
Would they be interchangable ?

[Bob C]

Does a smoke detector work the same as a co detector ?

They look similar to smoke detectors, in that they are both small thingies that either plug into a wall socket, or are battery powered, but they are not interchangable. A smoke detector's job is to detect for the presence of smoke particles (which would indicate a fire somewhere), where a CO2 detector's job is to detect the presence of CO2. A leaking furnace, pellet stove or other source of combustion is what the CO2 detector is used for.

[Mrs. Hillbilly]

We were out looking at travel trailers and one trailer had a duel smoke and CO detector.  First time I have seen one of these.

[ForestGal]

I've got a CO detector sitting in a box around here someplace, never installed it.  Gotta find it and make it usable.  Do the batteries have to be changed regularly, like the ones in smoke detectors?  I usually end up waiting until my smoke alarms get the "hiccups" before I remember to change the batteries.

(CO is carbon MONoxide, CO2 is carbon DIoxide, which we exhale.  )

[Bob C]

(CO is carbon MONoxide, CO2 is carbon DIoxide, which we exhale.  )

Oh Duh! Sorry about that. Thanks for the correction.

[ezzpete]

another law to save us from ourselves. wonder how they'll enforce it? maybe while they're checking our light bulbs.

[Mrs. Hillbilly]

Ha ha Pete!  

[MMB]

Check a stranger's "papers" for residency status...but never pass a law requiring a simple tiny and cheap life saving device be but in one's home.  Why, that would be gestappo-like police state.   Yeah. 

Anyway, our travel trailer and our home have one.   

[ezzpete]

it's not JUST this law, but all the laws that keep being passed to "protect our lives". the government keeps chipping away. helmet laws,smoking laws, gun laws, food laws.... on and on.

maybe one of the reasons we have so many stupid people around now days is because we've made everything illegal that used to kill off the really dumb ones.

i'm all for a C0 detector, i have one, but it was my decision. what's wrong with just letting people make their own decision?

i won't even go into what i think about the "strangers". i'd only hurt your feelers.

Check a stranger's "papers" for residency status...but never pass a law requiring a simple tiny and cheap life saving device be but in one's home.  Why, that would be gestappo-like police state.   Yeah. 

Anyway, our travel trailer and our home have one.   

[Mrs. Hillbilly]

Ha ha pete!
You need to post more often!!

[MMB]

Cool... I think strangers should be allowed to make their own decisions.  I know we do, all the time.     No old west for me though... I'm progressive.   How do you feel about cleaning up fire hazzards in Wrightwood?  Should people be forced to do it?  Or should they just mind their own business and hope their house isn't the one that contributes to burning down an entire block or worse?   But to stay relevant, I don't think a simple life saving device is hardly a gestappo state.  Like anything else though, don't buy one... and consider yourself a sexy outlaw.       And may your theory about the stupid never prove true in your own case. 

[Suhijita]

maybe one of the reasons we have so many stupid people around now days is because we've made everything illegal that used to kill off the really dumb ones.

This just cracked me up...