How Laval is built
- Before 1961 17%
- 1961–1990 50%
- 1991–2000 13%
- 2001 or later 20%
The rule in Quebec
Quebec has no province-wide rule requiring CO alarms in existing houses: provincial rules cover larger multi-unit buildings, and for houses it's up to each municipality's by-law, so ask your local fire service.
Where CO alarms go: installation rules in Quebec
What the rules say about installing alarms:
- There's no province-wide rule for houses: municipal by-laws decide, so ask your municipal fire service.
- Provincial rules cover larger buildings (multi-unit buildings of more than 2 storeys and 8 units, rooming houses, hotels and seniors' residences), where units with a combustion appliance or direct access to an indoor parking garage need a CO alarm.
- 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 Laval homes
In the Montréal area, the main heating energy is natural gas for 5% and oil for about 2% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023). Any fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage is a potential CO source.
Single-detached houses make up 45% of Laval'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 Laval
Carbon monoxide testing in Laval: common questions
Are carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in Laval?
Quebec has no province-wide rule requiring CO alarms in existing houses: provincial rules cover larger multi-unit buildings, and for houses it's up to each municipality's by-law, so ask your local fire service.
Where should CO alarms go in Quebec?
There's no province-wide rule for houses: municipal by-laws decide, so ask your municipal fire service. Provincial rules cover larger buildings (multi-unit buildings of more than 2 storeys and 8 units, rooming houses, hotels and seniors' residences), where units with a combustion appliance or direct access to an indoor parking garage need a CO alarm. 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.