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TSSA mandates CO detectors for Residential Natural Gas Boilers
Heating contractor technicians are legally required to
check CO (Carbon Monoxide) levels when they enter a building with a
natural draft boiler. We must perform this check, even if this is not the
reason for our service call. The TSSA requires a CO check to me done
annually on boilers. The contractor tags the equipment, showing the
inspection date and when the next inspection is required.
TSSA now also requires homeowners to install CO detectors
as a second line of defense, when the home is equipped with a natural
draft boiler. Please read the follow excerpt from the TSSA's order:
September 2009, Mandatory Inspection of Gas
(Natural Gas and Propane) Fired Natural Draft Boilers Equipped with a
Draft Hood
Attn: Property Owner/User
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has the
mandate to maintain and improve safety for Ontario residents in the fuels
and other regulated sectors. TSSA is officially designated by Ontario's
Ministy of Consumer Services to administer and enforce the Technical
Standards and Safety Act, 2000, which governs fuel safety in Ontario.
TSSA has determined that the use of natural gas and
propane burning natural draft boilers equipped with a draft hood may
result in a carbon monoxide (CO) safety hazard in the home, that may cause
personal injury up to and including death.
CO is a colourless gas produced when fuels such as natural
gas and propane burn incompletely. CO itself is odourless and tasteless
but it may be accompanied by an abnormal odour of incomplete fuel
combustion. Symptoms of CO poisoning include nausea and vomiting,
dizziness, burning eyes, difficulty breathing, confusion and loss of
consciousness.
Investigated CO incidents have shown that key contributing
causes of the incidents are that:
many boilers are not being maintained in accordance with
the boiler manufacturer's instructions. It is imperitive that boilers are
cleaned properly on a regular basis to reduce the likelihood of CO
production.
chimneys intended to evacuate CO and smoke from the boilers
to the outdoors, are not properly operating due to other exhaust systems
(such as wood fireplaces, dryer exhausts, new kitchen exhausts, etc.) and
the installation of new, more energy efficient windows and doors. These
systems and home upgrades limit the outside air infiltration into the home
and cause the house to depressurize.
To address this situation, TSSA is legally requiring that
all heating contractors perform a CO safety check when a technician enters
a home with a boiler. The technician is obliged to take action when an
unsafe condition is identified. These checks will be required when a
technician enters a home with this type of boiler regardless of whether
the homeowner/user has requested service on that boiler. This check is
only required once during the heating season. The gas technician is also
required to visually examine the boiler and if there are signs of poor
operation, additional steps may be required including a home
depressurization test or non-compliances corrected by adding combustion
air, make-up air, installing a water bypass, etc.. TSSA is requiring
that CO alarm(s) be located in the vicinity or withing the sleeping
quarters of the home. The technician is required to ensure that the
alarm(s) is/are present. If alarms are missing, the technician is required
to issue written notification that the alarms must be installed. If the
alarms are not installed within the notification time limit, the fuel
supply to your home will be shut off.
As an equipment owner/user, TSSA and industry remind you of
your responsibility to properly maintain and operate your boiler and all
other fuels burning equipment. Annual maintenance, as a minimum, by a
qualified contractor is the best method to fulfil this requirement.
If there are safety issues identified during this mandatory
inspection, the boiler will need to be serviced and depending on what type
of service is necessary, the cost will vary. To best ensure the continued
safety of you and your family, we ask that you allow the technician's
inspection/evaluation, and that you have your boiler maintained on a
regular basis.
If you do not allow the inspection or non-compliances are
identified such as a no CO alarm(s) present, your boiler will be
identified as requiring compliance within a specified time. If that time
lapses and the inspection is not completed or non-compliances are not
corrected, the fuel supply to your boiler or home will be shut-off. If
there is an immediate hazard identified during the inspection that cannot
be corrected, the fuel supply to the boiler will be immediately
terminated.
TSSA and the associated industries thank you in advance for
your co-operation in this regard. If you require further clarification or
have questions, please ask the gas technician performing the inspection,
your fuel supplier or TSSA at 1-877-682-8772, Web site:
www.tssa.org .
You can also call Salmon Plumbing and Heating any time at
(519) 451-8910. We have 55 years of experience servicing and installing
boilers. We will be happy to explain the maintenance requirements to keep
your boiler running safely and efficiently.
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