(KTAL/KMSS) – Carbon monoxide detectors will be required by law in every one or two-family home sold or leased in Louisiana starting Jan. 1, 2023.

The new requirements are the result of changes made during the 2022 legislative session to existing state law regarding fire and safety requirements in residential homes.

Under the changes passed in Act 458, each home will have to have “at least one operable, life-long, sealed battery carbon monoxide (CO) detector.” According to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal, the device can be combined with a smoke detector.

Under the law, the detector packaging should feature phrases including, “life-long,” OR “ten-year” AND “sealed battery” OR “sealed-in lithium battery.”

The law defines a one or two-family house/dwelling as a building containing not more than two dwelling units in which one or each dwelling unit is occupied by members of a single family with not more than three outsiders, if any, accommodated in rented rooms.”

The state fire marshal’s office recommends CO detectors should be placed:

• near a sleeping area, preferably within 10 feet of a bedroom door
• on every occupied level of the home
• within 10 feet of the door to an attached garage
• inside any occupied rooms located over an attached garage.

The Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Council also amended the International Residential Building Code (IRC) with these changes to become effective Jan. 1, 2023.