Help keep your family safe by installing smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home. These will notify you if there is smoke or CO in your home so you can get to safety. We also recommend that you develop a home escape plan.

Smoke alarms

According to the Ontario Fire Code, you must install smoke alarms on every floor of your home. Visit the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs for information about:

  • buying a smoke alarm
  • maintaining a smoke alarm
  • installing a smoke alarm

Smoke alarm requirements

Select the year your home was built in order to learn the smoke alarm requirements.

Built before 1976

If your home was built before 1976, you must install a battery-operated smoke alarm on every level and outside every sleeping area in your home.

Built between 1976 and 1990

If your home was built between 1976 and 1990, a hard-wired smoke alarm must be installed outside every sleeping area. Battery-operated smoke alarms must be installed on every other level of your home.

Built between 1990 and 2013

If your home was built between October 1, 1990 and 2013, you must install interconnected, hard-wired smoke alarms on every level and outside every sleeping area of your home.

Built on January 1, 2014 or after

If your home was built on January 1, 2014 or after, you must install interconnected, hard-wired smoke alarms with battery back-up:

  • in every bedroom
  • on every level
  • outside every sleeping area

Built on January 1, 2015 or after

If your home was built on January 1, 2015 or after, you must install hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms with battery back-up in every bedroom, on every level and outside every sleeping area of your home. The smoke alarms must be connected to a visual signalling device in your home.

Smoke alarms in rental units

If you are a property owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that the building you rent meets all laws set out in the Ontario Fire Code. This includes working smoke alarms.

If you are a tenant and you don't have a working smoke alarm in your unit, contact your landlord immediately. It is your responsibility to notify your property owner if the smoke alarm isn't working.

CO alarms

According to the Ontario Fire Code, every residential building that has a fuel-burning appliance or attached storage garage must have CO alarms. Select the year your home was built, to learn about the CO alarm requirements.

Built before August 8, 2002

If your home was built before August 8, 2002, you must install a battery-operated CO alarm outside every sleeping area of your home.

Built after August 8, 2002

If your home was built after August 8, 2002, you must install a hard-wired CO alarm outside every sleeping area of your home.

CO alarms in rental units

If you are a property owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that the building you rent meets all laws set out in the Ontario Fire Code. This includes working CO alarms.

If you are a tenant and you don't have a working CO alarm in your unit, contact your landlord immediately. It is your responsibility to notify your landlord if the CO alarm isn't working.

CO safety

Protect your family from CO poisoning by ensuring that:

  • all fuel-burning appliances, ventilation systems and chimneys in your home are cleaned and serviced regularly
  • outside furnace and hot water tank vents are not blocked
  • no outdoor fuel-burning appliances (barbecue, lawn mower etc.) are turned on indoors in a confined space
  • your garage entrance, doors and window are sealed so that no fuel can seep into your home

CO poisoning symptoms

Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms, such as:

  • headaches
  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • burning eye
  • confusion
  • drowsiness
  • loss of consciousness

If you experience flu-like symptoms at home, but feel better when you leave, this may indicate that you have a CO leak inside your home.