How Nanaimo is built
- Before 1961 15%
- 1961–1990 40%
- 1991–2000 18%
- 2001 or later 28%
The rule in British Columbia
B.C. doesn't require CO alarms in existing homes; the province recommends them wherever there's a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage, and the building code requires them in new homes.
Where CO alarms go: installation rules in British Columbia
What the rules say about installing alarms:
- Not required in existing homes; the province recommends alarms wherever there's a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage.
- New homes served by or containing a fuel-burning appliance, or with an attached garage, need CO alarms under the BC Building Code.
- 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 Nanaimo homes
Single-detached houses make up 52% of Nanaimo'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 Nanaimo
Communities served
Nearby communities without a page of their own: Powell River (about 80 km away). Nanaimo is the closest city we cover.
The organizations and professionals listed for Nanaimo may or may not travel to every community, so ask when you call.
Carbon monoxide testing in Nanaimo: common questions
Are carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in Nanaimo?
B.C. doesn't require CO alarms in existing homes; the province recommends them wherever there's a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage, and the building code requires them in new homes.
Where should CO alarms go in British Columbia?
Not required in existing homes; the province recommends alarms wherever there's a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. New homes served by or containing a fuel-burning appliance, or with an attached garage, need CO alarms under the BC Building Code. 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.