In September 1993, the City of
Chicago passed an ordinance requiring
carbon monoxide (CO) detectors,
detectors in all new homes with oilor
gas-fired furnaces. In a similar
move, Ohio Edison now requires CO
detectors in all homes with fireplaces
or combustion appliances that are
built under its Good Cents residential
construction program; other utilitysponsored
programs have promised to
follow suit.
These rules are probably just the
beginning of a trend. Carbon monoxide
is an odorless, tasteless, invisible,
yet potentially deadly gas that's produced
wherever there's incomplete
combustion. Since combustion is
never 100% efficient, any combustion
appliance can pose a threat (see
"Common Sources of Carbon
Monoxide," below). Dangerous CO
concentrations could come from a
woodstove, a fireplace, a gas range —
even a car