Oshawa Fire Services is reminding residents to test their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms as Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week runs November 1 to 7 in Ontario. The service notes that clocks turn back one hour on Sunday, November 1, making it a good time to change alarm batteries.
Ontario law requires working CO alarms in homes with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces or attached garages. As of January 1, 2026, CO alarms are also required on every storey of a home, in addition to outside all sleeping areas. Removing or tampering with smoke or CO alarms can result in significant fines and penalties.
The service advises residents to install smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas, and CO alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas where the home has a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage. Alarms should be tested monthly, batteries replaced every spring and fall, and alarms replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations or when they are more than 10 years old. Every household should also have a home escape plan that is practised regularly.
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that cannot be seen or smelled. It is produced when fuels such as natural gas, propane, gasoline, heating oil or wood do not burn completely. To help prevent CO in the home, fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents should be inspected and cleaned annually, outdoor vents kept clear, and barbecues and generators used outdoors only, away from doors, windows and vents. Residents should never use a stove or oven to heat a home, should open the fireplace flue before use, and should never run a vehicle or other fuel-powered engine in a garage, even with the door open.
Symptoms of CO poisoning can include headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness and unconsciousness. If a CO alarm sounds and anyone has symptoms, leave the home immediately and call 9-1-1 from outside. If no one has symptoms, check the battery and alarm expiry before seeking assistance.
More CO safety information is available through the Ontario Fire Marshal’s carbon monoxide safety page and COSafety.ca, and more about Oshawa Fire Services and fire prevention is available at oshawa.ca/Fire.
Source: City of Oshawa
Source: City of Oshawa
Featured image: illustration, not documentary photography. Illustration created for AllAboutDurham; not a photograph of a real home, alarm, or incident in Oshawa.
