Furnace on? What Ontario's carbon monoxide alarm rules mean for your home

Furnace on? Check your CO alarms. Since Jan. 1, Ontario requires one on every storey of a home with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage, plus one outside each sleeping area. Test monthly, change batteries yearly.

Topics: Health

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Furnace season is here, and carbon monoxide alarm rules in Ontario got stricter this year. Here is what Windsor-Essex homes need, from the Ontario Fire Marshal and Windsor Fire and Rescue Services.

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is called the silent killer. It has no colour, smell or taste. It forms when fuels like natural gas, propane, oil or wood do not burn completely, and only a working CO alarm can detect it.

Who needs an alarm

A home needs a CO alarm if it has a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. That includes a gas furnace, water heater or stove.

Since January 1, 2026, Ontario's Fire Code requires a CO alarm on every storey of the home, including floors with no bedrooms. You still need one outside each sleeping area, in the hallway nearest the bedrooms.

Rentals

If you rent, your landlord is responsible for installing and maintaining the CO alarms in your unit. Tenants should tell the landlord if an alarm is missing or not working.

Keep it working

Test each alarm once a month with the test button, and replace the batteries every year. Replace the alarm itself when the maker says to. Windsor Fire says that is usually every 7 to 10 years.

If your home has hardwired alarms, replace them with the same type. A battery or plug-in alarm cannot replace a hardwired one.

Look for a certification mark from a recognized testing agency, such as CSA or ULC, on the package.

Winter tips

Have your furnace, fireplace, chimney and vents inspected every year. Keep outside vents clear of snow and ice. Never warm up a car in the garage, even with the door open, and never use a barbecue, generator or oven to heat the inside of your home.

If the alarm goes off

Get everyone out of the home right away, then call 911 from outside.

Free alarms for some Windsor homeowners

Windsor Fire and Rescue Services has an online form for Project Zero, which gives free battery-operated combination smoke and CO alarms donated by Enbridge Gas. It is for owner-occupants in the City of Windsor whose homes do not have hardwired alarms. Check the Windsor Fire website to see if you qualify.

For questions about your own home, Ontario says to contact your local fire department.

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