How Whitehorse is built
- Before 1961 8%
- 1961–1990 41%
- 1991–2000 16%
- 2001 or later 35%
The rule in Yukon
Yukon requires CO detectors in every residence with a fuel-burning appliance or attached garage.
Where CO alarms go: installation rules in Yukon
What the rules say about installing alarms:
- Every Yukon residence with a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage must have CO detectors (Government of Yukon).
- 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 Whitehorse homes
There's no piped natural gas for homes in Whitehorse, so the usual CO sources are oil furnaces, propane appliances, wood stoves and attached garages.
Single-detached houses make up 48% of Whitehorse'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 Whitehorse
Carbon monoxide testing in Whitehorse: common questions
Are carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in Whitehorse?
Yukon requires CO detectors in every residence with a fuel-burning appliance or attached garage.
Where should CO alarms go in Yukon?
Every Yukon residence with a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage must have CO detectors (Government of Yukon). 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.