In New York, the Town of Brookhaven has become the first Town in the United States to require digital carbon monoxide detectors in every residential property. 

This new law comes after a fatal carbon monoxide exposure incident involving a restaurant manager in Huntington Station this past February. 

This new law amends Chapter 30 of the town’s code which previously mandated all buildings with human occupants to have carbon monoxide detecting devices or systems. The newly amended law maintains this mandate but now requires all homes to have carbon monoxide detectors or devices with digital outputs. While conventional detectors only sound an alarm when the carbon monoxide level has reached a dangerous level, the digital detectors display the amount of carbon monoxide gas present even at very low levels. This change in the law is significant because even low levels of carbon monoxide exposure can lead to health problems.  

Failure to comply with the Town Code may result in substantial fines and criminal charges. Additionally, homeowners who fail to update their carbon monoxide detection system may be held responsible for injuries or fatalities on their property related to exposure.

Per the amended Code, new homes are required to immediately install digital carbon monoxide detectors and existing homes must install digital carbon monoxide detectors by August 1, 2021.