So we've discussed this here a couple times, the rash of people who have been injured or killed when they mistakenly left their keyless cars running in their garages and have suffered CO poisoning. I mentioned that in some areas I've seen some home builders installing systems that will vent the garage to the outside when high CO levels are detected in the garage. Well, I had a settlement a couple weeks ago on a new construction property in Virginia that had such a system and talking to the project foreman found out that a system like this is now a code requirement in that county.

Here's a picture of the system for those interested. You can see the CO detector, and the fan with ducting:



Haven't seen or heard about anything similar in MD or DC yet, but I'm sure eventually we will.

To be clear existing homes won't have to have these installed, they will be grandfathered this is just for new homes or garages being constructed.

 

Interesting. That set up looks like it wouldn't add much to the cost either.

 

more claptrap because of stupid people. Wouldnt be as bad if the heater or water heater was in the garage too because that vent will protect against CO from a bad heaters too

 

I don't see what the issue is here. The point of building codes are to make homes and buildings safer for people. This to me accomplishes exactly that, and that whole apparatus might cost $250.

Garage construction code has come a LONG way. Do you know that for years now garages have had to be self sealing? Doors between the garage and house have to close on their own. Doors have to be metal and fire rated, has to be a 2 hour fire barrier between a garage and habitable space within a house. GFCI breakers in bathrooms are because people are too stupid not to put their hairdryers in the sink.

The whole point of these codes are to make houses safer and this does just that with very little added cost. I think this is a genius idea.

 

Happy Toyota is forward thinking with their upcoming engine shut off to try and help prevent unintended deaths

 

Fossil car issues

 

The government actually passing laws to protect citizens from needlessly being killed. Nice.

 

Kinda gives you a warm fuzzy doesnt it? LOL

 

Electric car issues.

 

True. Did you know the Model 3 hasn't had an incident with a lot more volume? Better battery packs. The only incident was when the driver slammed that stationary tow truck at 80 mph. I think most cars would catch on fire at that speed

 

Hyundai had an electric car blow up in a garage in Montreal.

 

Gonna need a BIG fan for that lol

 

are the heaters and water heaters in the garage as well here?

now you have less garage wall space, something else that can break, another way for animals and pests to get in. Great. Who is going to inspect these on occasion to make sure they work? Mandatory inspection?

 

You also have another way prevent CO poisoning.

I assume you'd inspect them yourself, just like you'd annually inspect and test the CO and smoke detectors in the rest of the house.

 

which is attributed to 100% user error, not random failures like a faulty heater does. If you know how to turn a car off properly then there is no danger.

yea good luck, like many people inspect their dryer duct for clogs and smoke detectors at the proper intervals. Many people dont even realize you should replace smoke detectors after 10 years regardless.