How Winnipeg is built
- Before 1961 37%
- 1961–1990 40%
- 1991–2000 6%
- 2001 or later 17%
The rule in Manitoba
Manitoba's Fire Code requires CO detection only in buildings subject to fire-safety inspections, not in ordinary private homes, so installing alarms is up to you.
Where CO alarms go: installation rules in Manitoba
What the rules say about installing alarms:
- The Manitoba Fire Code requires CO detection only in buildings that need regular fire-safety inspections, such as care homes, schools and hotels; private houses aren't on the list.
- 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 Winnipeg homes
In the Winnipeg area, the main heating energy is natural gas for 56% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023). Any fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage is a potential CO source.
Single-detached houses make up 58% of Winnipeg'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 Winnipeg
Carbon monoxide testing in Winnipeg: common questions
Are carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in Winnipeg?
Manitoba's Fire Code requires CO detection only in buildings subject to fire-safety inspections, not in ordinary private homes, so installing alarms is up to you.
Where should CO alarms go in Manitoba?
The Manitoba Fire Code requires CO detection only in buildings that need regular fire-safety inspections, such as care homes, schools and hotels; private houses aren't on the list. 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.