Smoke Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Alarms

A few things to consider when installing your carbon monoxide alarm:

• Install at least one carbon monoxide alarm outside all sleeping areas in your home.

• Install carbon monoxide alarms where they can be heard.

• Carbon monoxide is roughly the same weight as air and will distribute evenly, so carbon monoxide alarms can be installed at any height.

How to prevent carbon monoxide in your home:

• Ensure fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents are cleaned and inspected annually. Visit COSafety.ca to find a registered contractor near you.

• Check that all outside appliance vents are not blocked.

• Gas and charcoal barbeques should only be used outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Never use barbeques inside garages, even if the garage doors are open.

• Portable fuel-burning generators should only be used outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from windows, doors, vents and other building openings.

• Ensure all portable fuel-burning heaters are vented properly, according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Never use the stove or oven to heat your home.

• Open the flu before using a fireplace for adequate ventilation.

• Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor inside a garage, even if the garage doors are open. Always remove a vehicle from the garage immediately after starting it.

These are all symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

If you or your family members are experiencing any of these symptoms you may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. If these symptoms are less severe when you are outside of the home it may also be a sign of a carbon monoxide problem in the house. If you feel that you are suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning you should call 911 as well as get proper medical attention.

Your CO alarm sounds different than your smoke alarm. Test both alarms monthly and make sure everyone in your home knows the difference between the two alarm sounds.

• Don't be confused by the sound of your CO alarm's low-battery warning. 

• Follow your CO alarm manufacturer's instructions so you know the difference between the low-battery warning, the 'end-of-life' warning, and the alarm alerting you to the presence of CO in your home.

The top three things you must do if your carbon monoxide alarm is activated:

1. Get everybody outdoors immediately.

2. Call 911 from a safe location.

3. Keep all windows and doors closed, after everyone has left the house, to allow for an accurate reading of carbon monoxide levels.

To ensure the safety of residents in vulnerable occupancies, new rules are coming into effect on January 1, 2026, that establish where CO alarms must be placed in buildings containing Care Occupancies.

Where do the new requirements apply?

The new requirements apply to buildings that contain Care Occupancies as defined in the Fire Code. These are facilities for residents who require special care and need assistance to evacuate in an emergency. These facilities include, but are not limited to:

• Convalescent Homes
• Residential Care Facilities
• Certain Group Homes
• And similar types of buildings

Where must CO Alarms be installed?

CO alarms will be mandatory in both the individual resident suites and common areas of the building.

Inside Individual Care Occupancy Suites

A CO alarm must be installed in a resident suite if any of the following conditions apply:

• The suite itself contains a fuel-burning appliance (like a furnace or water heater) or a fireplace.
• The suite is located directly above, below, or beside a service room.
• The suite is located directly above, below, or beside a garage.
• The suite is heated by air coming from a fuel-burning appliance that is not contained within the suite (e.g., heat from a furnace in a central service room).

Placement within the suite:

• Adjacent to each sleeping area (e.g.: near all bedrooms).
• On every storey (floor) of the suite, including storeys that do not have a sleeping area.

Service Rooms and Common Areas of the Building

• A CO alarm must be installed in each service room or area of the building that contains a fuel-burning appliance.

Buying and installing your CO Alarms

Buying

• CO alarms should have the logo of a recognized standards testing agency to ensure they meet Canadian performance standards. Some examples of recognized standards testing agencies and their logos include:
  • Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
  • Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC)
  • Intertek (ETL)
• Under the Fire Code, carbon monoxide alarms are permitted to be:
  • Hardwired (connected directly to an electrical system).
  • Battery-operated (portable or permanently mounted).
  • Plug-in devices (plugs into a standard electrical outlet).
• Many devices on the market are combined units that include both a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in one device.

Installing

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and placement of CO alarms.

Maintenance

Carbon monoxide alarms must be maintained in operating condition and replaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Need clarification?

For specific questions regarding the CO alarm requirements that may apply to your care occupancy, operators and administrators are advised to contact their local fire department. 

Contact Fire Prevention
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 1380
Email: [email protected]

The local fire department is the authority responsible for enforcing the Fire Code in your area.

• Installation requirements are outlined in Section 2.16 of Division B of the Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07).
• Maintenance requirements are outlined in Subsection 6.3.4. of Division B of the Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07).

New requirements are coming into effect on January 1, 2026, that expand where CO alarms must be placed in existing homes.

Where do the new requirements apply?

The updated requirements apply to all existing buildings that contain multiple residential units or suites. This includes but is not limited to:

Where must CO Alarms be installed?

Installation is required in several areas in the building:

Inside Individual Suites (Residential Units)

A CO alarm must be installed in a suite if any of the following conditions apply:

• The suite itself contains a fuel-burning appliance (like a furnace or water heater) or a fireplace.
• The suite is located directly above, below, or beside a service room that has a fuelburning appliance.
• The suite is located directly above, below, or beside a garage.
• Effective Jan 1, 2026: The suite is heated by air coming from a fuel-burning appliance that is not contained within the suite (e.g., heat from a furnace in a central service room).

New requirements are coming into effect on January 1, 2026, that expand where CO alarms must be placed in existing homes.

Where do the new requirements apply?

The updated requirements apply to all existing homes that have any of the following:

• A fuel-burning appliance (like a furnace, water heater, or stove that uses natural gas, propane, oil, or wood).
• A fireplace.
• An attached garage.
• Effective Jan 1, 2026: Air for heating that comes from a fuel-burning appliance not contained within the home (e.g., an appliance in a utility shed).

Common types of homes include:

• Detached or Semi-Detached Houses
• Townhouses
• Cottages

Where must CO Alarms be installed?

If your home meets any of the conditions above, you must install a CO alarm in these two locations:

1. Adjacent to each sleeping area (near all bedrooms).
2. Effective Jan 1, 2026: On every storey (floor) of your home, including storeys that do not have a sleeping area.

Buying and installing your CO Alarms

Buying

When buying a CO alarm, make sure it has the logo of a recognized standards testing agency to ensure they meet Canadian performance standards. Some examples of recognized standards testing agencies and their logos include:

• Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
• Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC)
• Intertek (ETL)

Under the Fire Code, carbon monoxide alarms are permitted to be:

• Hardwired (connected directly to an electrical system).
• Battery-operated (portable or permanently mounted).
• Plug-in devices (plugs into a standard electrical outlet).

Many devices on the market are combined units that include both a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in one device.

Installing

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and placement of CO alarms.

Who is responsible for compliance?

• In Owner-Occupied homes, the Homeowner is responsible for complying with the CO alarm requirements in the Fire Code.
• In Rental Homes, the Landlord is responsible for complying with the CO alarm requirements in the Fire Code.

Need clarification?

For questions about CO alarm requirements that may apply to your home, please contact your local fire department.

Contact Fire Prevention
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 1380
Email: [email protected]

The local fire department are the authority responsible for enforcing the Fire Code in your area.

A few things to consider when installing your smoke alarm:

• If anyone in the household sleeps with the bedroom door closed, consider installing a smoke alarm inside the bedroom.

• On floor levels not containing sleeping areas, install smoke alarms in the living area or at stairwells leading to an upper floor.

• Do not install smoke alarms in areas of cold temperatures or high heat (see manufacturer’s recommendations).

• Do not install smoke alarms closer than 1 m or 3’ to kitchens or bathrooms.

• Install smoke alarms high on a wall or on the ceiling. If mounting on a wall, position the top of the smoke alarm approximately 10 - 30 cm (4” to 12”) from the ceiling. If mounting on the ceiling, position the alarm at least 10 cm (4”) away from a wall.

• Do not install smoke alarms near vents where air movement may prevent the alarm from working.

When installing smoke alarms, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A few things to consider when maintaining your smoke alarm:

• Never remove batteries from smoke alarms. If false alarms are a problem, try moving the alarm to another location or purchase an alarm with a pause feature that temporarily silences the alarm.

• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.

• Test smoke alarms once a month and replace the batteries every year.

• Clean your smoke alarms often by following the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Ensure that all members of your household know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.

• Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it.

Your smoke alarm sounds different than your carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Test both alarms monthly and make sure everyone in your home knows the difference between the two alarm sounds. Replace the batteries if the alarms do not sound when the test button is pushed. If it still doesn’t sound, replace the alarm.

• A continuous beeping sound means there is an emergency and you should:

  • leave the house

  • call 9-1-1 from a safe location

  • stay out of the house

• A chirping sound means the batteries or alarm should be replaced immediately. First try replacing the battery. If the chirping continues then replace the alarm.

There are smoke alarms and alert devices that alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices include strobe lights that flash to alert people when the smoke alarm sounds. Pillow or bed shakers designed to work with your smoke alarm also can be purchased and installed. These work by shaking the pillow or bed when the smoke alarm sounds. These products can be found online and in stores that sell smoke and CO alarms.

Make sure to choose smoke alarms and accessories for people who are deaf or hard of hearing that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. It’s also good practice to sleep with your mobile phone and your hearing aids or implants close to your bed.

Make sure your smoke and CO alarms meet the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.

Some tips:

• Install a bedside alert device that responds to the sound of the smoke and CO alarms. Using a low frequency alarm can also wake a sleeping person with mild to severe hearing loss.

• Sleep with your mobility device, glasses and phone close to your bed.

• Keep pathways and hallways lit with night lights and free from clutter to make sure everyone can get out safely.

Smoke and CO Alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing(PDF, 252.38 KB)

Visit the Canadian Hearing Society for more information about alarm alternatives to standard smoke alarms.