Tag confirms state requirement for carbon monoxide alarms on each dwelling level; petition noted
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Summary
The IRC Tag confirmed that Washington’s state amendment requires carbon monoxide alarms on every level of a dwelling, noted an incoming code-change petition on carbon monoxide alarms and agreed to review it later.
The IRC Tag discussed carbon monoxide (CO) alarm provisions and confirmed that Washington’s state amendment requires a CO alarm on each level of a dwelling. Dustin (staff member) explained that the state amendment includes subsections that the model code does not and recommended maintaining the amendment. When asked whether the state requirement meant an alarm on every level, Dustin replied that “this each level of the dwelling, is a long standing state amendment to this section.”
Why it matters: CO alarms are life-safety devices. The difference between a model-code requirement and a state-specific requirement (for example, requiring an alarm on every dwelling level) affects enforcement and might impose additional retrofit costs for existing homes.
Ken Brulette noted he has a co‑change petition for section 3‑11 related to carbon monoxide alarms and said the tag will address that petition in a later agenda item. The tag left the existing state amendment in place and recorded the petition for forthcoming consideration; there was no change to the state requirement at the meeting.
Staff will include the petition in the next meeting materials for full review and a possible motion in a future meeting.