Effective December 31, 2024
All rental units receiving Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher or Project-Based Voucher rental assistance are required to have carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms.
New federal standards for installing carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms take effect December 31, 2024. These changes include:
- Carbon monoxide detectors are required in new locations.
- Smoke alarms are to be hardwired or have a 10-year battery life.
If the carbon monoxide detector or smoke alarm does not meet the federal standards, it must be corrected within 24 hours. Failure to timely correct the item may result in DOH not providing the housing assistance payment (abatement) for the days the unit was in a “failed” status due to the carbon monoxide and/or smoke alarm.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Standards
- Location: In the immediate vicinity of each sleeping area OR within each sleeping room.
Requires a carbon monoxide detector installed in the proper location:- All units that contain a fuel-burning appliance fireplace, regardless of whether the appliance or fireplace is currently being used.
- Sleeping area or bathroom attached to sleeping area:
- Contains a fuel-burning appliance or fireplace; or
- Has adjacent spaces from which byproducts of combustion gases can flow.
- Unit or sleeping area served by a forced-air furnace that is located elsewhere.
- Unit or sleeping area in a building that contains a fuel-burning appliance or fireplace and
- Carbon monoxide detector is not installed in an approved location between the fuel-burning appliance or fireplace and the unit or sleeping area; or
- Carbon monoxide detector is not installed on the ceiling of the room containing the fuel-burning appliance or fireplace; or
- The unit or sleeping area has communicated openings to the fuel-burning appliance or fireplace.
- Unit or sleeping area located one story or less above or below an attached private garage that:
- Does not have natural ventilation; or
- Is enclosed and does not have a ventilation system for vehicle exhaust.
- The inspection will fail if the carbon monoxide detector:
- Is missing; or
- Does not produce an audio or visual alarm when tested.
Smoke Alarm Standards
Smoke alarms must be installed in each rental unit in the appropriate locations per the National Fire Protection Association Standard (NFPA) 72 or any successor standard.
Qualifying smoke alarms:
- For dwelling units built before December 29, 2022, and not substantially rehabilitated after that date, smoke alarms must:
- Be hardwired; or
- Use a 10-year, non-rechargeable, non-replaceable primary battery and is sealed, is tamper resistance, and contains silencing means; and
- Provide notification for persons with hearing loss as required by the NFTA 72 or any successor standard.
- For dwelling units built or substantially rehabilitated after December 29, 2022, smoke alarms must be hardwired.
The inspection will fail if the smoke alarm:
- Is missing; or
- Is not a qualifying smoke alarm as defined above; or
- Does not produce an audio or visual alarm when tested.
Required Locations:
- Inside each sleeping area, outside each sleeping area and on each level, including basements.
- In each common area on each level in a project containing a dwelling unit.
- Note: Crawl spaces and unfinished attics are excluded.