Carbon Monoxide Detectors Required Under New Law

News Release courtesy of the NYS Fireman’s Association

CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS REQUIRED UNDER NEW LAW

Amanda’s Law, passed in the 2009 Session of the New York State Legislature, will establish a new requirement for installation of carbon monoxide detectors in homes.

Under the law, one-family homes, two-family homes, dwellings located in condominiums or cooperatives, and multiple dwellings must have a carbon monoxide detector installed regardless of the date of construction or sale.

The law was named after Amanda Hansen, a teenager whose life was tragically ended by a carbon monoxide leak from a defective boiler while she was sleeping at a friend’s house in January 2009.

The new law requires that the carbon monoxide detector be a device meeting New York State standards, and that it be installed in an operable condition in dwellings where there are appliances or systems that may emit carbon monoxide or have an attached garage.

Prior to Amanda’s Law, carbon monoxide detectors were required in one-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, and dwellings located in condominiums or cooperatives only if they were constructed or offered for sale after July 30, 2002.

For multiple dwellings (such as a tenement, hotel, and dormitories) carbon monoxide detectors were required if they were constructed or offered for sale after August 9, 2005. As a result of Amanda’s Law, a carbon monoxide detector will be found in nearly all residential structures in the state. This creates a safer living environment for New York residents and creates a greater awareness of home safety issues that are intensified by seasonal heating issues prevalent in the Northeast.

Amanda’s Law takes effect on February 22, 2010.

We believe in solar so much we’re installing it at our homes

Solar is a great way to go. We encourage it for a lot of our clients as a good way to reduce energy costs and to help the environment.

We believe it so much that we’re installing solar systems not only at our company headquarters in Binghamton, but at the homes of our three principals – Glenn, Ed and Richard.

To be honest, we followed every principle we encourage our customers to follow. We looked at our needs, designed the system that met them, then found the best financing to create the best return. In fact, the solar systems are eligible for a tax credit worth 30 percent of the total job cost.

We’re going to be so much more comfortable for it.

• At our company headquarters, the Buderus SKS4.0 solar panels and Buderus boilers will provide hot water, comfortable heating and will even melt the snow at critical entries. (We hate shoveling as much as you do.)
• Glenn’s house will have a similar system, with similar snow-melting capabilities. Glenn really hates shoveling.
• Ed and Richard are installing systems that provide heat and hot water.
  

The solar panels circulate glycol and water through a heat exchanger that provides hot water. That’s as opposed to a photovoltaic system that provides electricity. Just in case of excessive darkness and extra use, we’re also installing a supplemental boiler to help the solar system.

The result is that we’ll save money while maintaining our comfort. And we won’t have to shovel as much.