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Are You Breathing Easier?
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Several years ago, we had a client whose pool heater's burner became clogged and was burning inefficiently. Inefficient burning = carbon monoxide (CO). CO is deadly. In this client's case, the pool heater was under a garage vent. Her garage and home filled with carbon monoxide.
Fortunately her home had a CO detector and no one was hurt, but it could have been a serious disaster.
So let me tell you about carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. Most of you know that effective January 1, 2011 a new CA law went into effect requiring CO detectors. And, as you might expect, in the beginning of this new law there was confusion over how, where and when to install them.
In the beginning the building code simply copied the smoke alarm requirements and applied them to CO detectors saying that all new construction must have these detectors.
But in 2016, CA Residential Code R314.2 and R315.2 and CA Building Code CBC 420.4 were modified to say that in addition to new construction, existing homes must be retrofitted to include CO detectors when a building permit is required for construction or when there are additions/enhancements to a home valued at $1000 or more.
These additions included exterior work like roofing, HVAC replacements, electrical panel upgrades, new windows, etc. One could even interpret this requirement to mean painting the exterior of your home as necessitating CO retrofits because painting costs in excess of $1000.
The problem was and has been that many home improvements occur during the summer months when clients are not here and, in the case of exterior work requiring permits, it became difficult to get a Building Inspector to sign off on a permit without the homeowner verifying the home had been retrofitted with the CO detectors per code.
Today combination Smoke/CO detectors are the norm to be compliant and help avoid too many devices littering our walls or ceilings.
The City of Palm Desert has released a Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Retrofit Verification form that can be submitted once you have retrofitted your home. Submitting this in advance of any planned construction or repairs will prevent any schedule disruption that might occur when your contractors need to obtain your retrofit verification signature when you aren't here.
And while this new Verification document is voluntary, the City prefers it be used for exterior work since the Building Inspector can verify inside the home for all other work. To my way of thinking, why not submit it anyway and have it out of the way?
Alarm requirements are as follows:
--Install in all bedrooms -- Smoke detectors only
--Install outside each separate bedroom -- Smoke/CO combination
--Install on each level of building including basements and habitable attics -- Smoke/CO combination
--Units must be within 10 years from date of manufacture or replaced if no date of manufacture on unit
--Conventional smoke alarms must have a 10 year battery
Other cities here in the desert may have similar verification forms - if you need help getting the forms or if you need to retrofit your home, we can take care of this for you.
Keep in mind, since this law went into effect, the price of units, particularly combination units with 10 year batteries, have climbed sharply. Still, retrofitting your home is the law and we are happy to assist you.
This is also the time of year when our clients start planning summer projects. We are ready to discuss your projects and/or to provide quotes. Having work done over the summer is the most efficient and least intrusive way to go! Executive Errands® is a CA Licensed General B contractor and can help with all your remodeling needs. Just give us a call at 760-898-9604 or send us an email.
Until next time, get your home retrofitted so your family can breathe easier! And don't forget to have us service your pool heaters after season or in the Fall before you come back.
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Leslie Spoor
Executive Errands®
CL#944447
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Leslie is a consultant, mentor and author helping small business owners around the globe. She is founder and CEO of two successful companies, Concierge Business Solutions® and Executive Errands®. In addition to her wide selection of training videos and webinars, documentation and forms, Leslie also is the creator of a data collections software system, Essential Elements™ and a Six DVD educational series, How to Start Your Own Business with Leslie Spoor©, available on her website. To work with Leslie or for more information, please visit her website or contact her at Lspoor@executive-errands.com
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For a list of our most popular services, please see our brochure here:
Last year, after traveling to Cuba (another beautiful country!), I wrote a travel guide! To download our
American in Cuba e-book travel guide, please
click here.
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This documentation, including sample applications herein, is provided for informational purposes only, and Executive Errands® makes no warranties, either expressly or implied, as to this documentation or its efficacies. Information in this documentation, including any URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to change without notice. The entire risk of the use or the results of the use of this documentation remains with the user. This documentation is copyrighted by Spoor Enterprises Inc, DBA Executive Errands®, 2017.
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