How Yellowknife is built
- Before 1961 3%
- 1961–1990 54%
- 1991–2000 21%
- 2001 or later 22%
The rule in Northwest Territories
We found no NWT requirement for CO alarms in existing homes; the territory's fire regulations adopt the national codes for new construction.
Where CO alarms go: installation rules in Northwest Territories
What the rules say about installing alarms:
- We found no territorial requirement for existing homes; the NWT applies the 2020 National Building Code to new construction.
- 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 Yellowknife homes
There's no piped natural gas for homes in Yellowknife, so the usual CO sources are oil furnaces, propane appliances, wood stoves and attached garages.
Single-detached houses make up 44% of Yellowknife'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 Yellowknife
Carbon monoxide testing in Yellowknife: common questions
Are carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in Yellowknife?
We found no NWT requirement for CO alarms in existing homes; the territory's fire regulations adopt the national codes for new construction.
Where should CO alarms go in Northwest Territories?
We found no territorial requirement for existing homes; the NWT applies the 2020 National Building Code to new construction. 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.