How Charlottetown is built
- Before 1961 20%
- 1961–1990 46%
- 1991–2000 12%
- 2001 or later 22%
The rule in Prince Edward Island
PEI's Fire Marshal advises CO alarms outside each sleeping area and on every level, but we found no rule requiring them in existing homes.
Where CO alarms go: installation rules in Prince Edward Island
What the rules say about installing alarms:
- We found no rule requiring CO alarms in existing homes; PEI's Fire Marshal advises installing them outside each sleeping area and on every level.
- For new houses, the National Building Code 2020 (Article 9.32.3.9) requires a CO alarm inside each bedroom or within 5 m outside each bedroom door when the home has a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, an alarm in any room with a solid-fuel-burning appliance (on or near the ceiling unless the maker's instructions say otherwise), and interconnected alarms in a house with a secondary suite.
CO sources in Charlottetown homes
In Prince Edward Island, the main heating energy is oil for 28% and wood for 8% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023). Any fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage is a potential CO source.
There's no piped natural gas for homes in Charlottetown, so the usual CO sources are oil furnaces, propane appliances, wood stoves and attached garages.
Single-detached houses make up 44% of Charlottetown's households; many have an attached garage, another reason to put an alarm near the door into the house.
What a CO check involves
- Alarms next to sleeping areas and on every storey, tested monthly and replaced by their end-of-life date (usually 7 to 10 years).
- Annual service of fuel-burning appliances by a licensed technician.
- A combustion spillage test during an energy evaluation, which catches a venting problem before it produces CO.
Our carbon monoxide guide · Combustion safety testing in Charlottetown
Carbon monoxide testing in Charlottetown: common questions
Are carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in Charlottetown?
PEI's Fire Marshal advises CO alarms outside each sleeping area and on every level, but we found no rule requiring them in existing homes.
Where should CO alarms go in Prince Edward Island?
We found no rule requiring CO alarms in existing homes; PEI's Fire Marshal advises installing them outside each sleeping area and on every level. For new houses, the National Building Code 2020 (Article 9.32.3.9) requires a CO alarm inside each bedroom or within 5 m outside each bedroom door when the home has a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, an alarm in any room with a solid-fuel-burning appliance (on or near the ceiling unless the maker's instructions say otherwise), and interconnected alarms in a house with a secondary suite.
How long do CO alarms last?
Most have an end-of-life date of 7 to 10 years printed on the unit; replace them by then even if they still beep when tested.