Madison Wisconsin Real Estate News

I would say $30 is a fairly minor expense for something that could be lifesaving. Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer for a reason. Unlike a fire, which makes its presence quite known very quickly, a carbon monoxide leak may not be caught at all, which makes it so much more deadly. I understand that people don't like it when their government tells them what items they are required to buy for their own safety, but even if it weren't a requirement it's something I would greatly suggest anyone with a fireplace or any other amenities in their home that use CO gas to purchase.

Hi Jolenta,

Its a nice idea to have the CO monitors. While it does slightly drive up the cost of a home, its money well spent. My wife bought one a year ago for our home in KS. We sleep better at night knowing it is there. Does the ordinance make it a requirement for older homes too?

Hi Ken, Thanks for visiting. Good move on the part of you and your wife a year ago. Yes, the ordinance makes it required for all homes, old and new. Not sure if everyone is aware of it or not though. I was showing a 100+ year-old home today and I didn't see a single smoke detector or CO detector!

This just became manditory in California as of January 1st. While the state has required functioning smoke detectors in all homes at the time of transfer since 1995, this was just recently passed here. Not sure if this is really warranted in our area. We have mostly newer properties and mild temperatures so CO deaths are very rare. I can see the need in your part of the country though.
We also have a requirement that all water heaters be seismically retrofitted (the ground shakes here). The California Association of Realtors has successfully fought legislation to mandate seismic natural gas shut off valves at the time of transfer. The cost is almost $500 and the legislation was sponsored by the manufacturer of the valves.
Government should not be mandating every little aspect of our lives. Pretty soon we're going to asking why they don't get the chickweed out of our lawns.
thanks for posting. - Joe McDermott

This is a very important precaution. Making it mandatory will help inform the general public to keep people safe. I lived in San Diego for a short period of time and volunteered for an organization that installed smoke detectors in homes for people who could not afford them. This might be a good idea for Madison in regards to the CO detectors. Thanks for the informative post.

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Try resetting it. Push and hold the litlte button for 5 seconds. There could be a locking pin on it. It looks like a litlte toothpick. If you remove this- you should be able to twist and remove it. Most smoke alarms have a 9v battery as a back up in case the power goes out.You should be able to remove it without cutting any wires.