Starting February 1st, 2011, the State of Wisconsin has expanded the requirements for carbon monoxide detectors.
CO detectors will be required in: - One and two family homes - Adult family homes providing care, treatment and services for 3 or 4 unrelated adults - Community-based residential facility providing care , treatment and services for 5 to 8 unrelated adults
Homes build before June 1, 1980 are exempt from this new rule.
Please remember that unlike smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors have a limited life. Be sure to check with the manufacturer of the detected to determine when the unit needs to be replaced.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Starting April 1st, 2010, the State of Wisconsin is requiring carbon monoxide detectors in public residential buildings. (See 2007 Senate Bill 289) “Residential building” means a tourist rooming house, a bed and breakfast establishment, or any public building that is used for sleeping or lodging purposes.
The law basically require that a carbon monoxide detector to be installed within 15 feet of any fuel-burning appliance.
Unlike smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors have a limited life. Be sure to check with the manufacturer of the detected to determine when the unit needs to be replaced.
Tamper Resistant Receptacles
Starting January 1, 2010 Tamper Resistant Receptacles are required for all newly installed receptacles. Tamper-Resistant (TR) Receptacles are safer than other preventive measures:
Once installed, they are permanent, offering continuous protection unlike plastic outlet caps that can be removed
Shuttered wall plates add layers of material between blades and receptacle contacts. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has withdrawn its listing from tamper-resistant wall plates
Tamper-resistant receptacles are certified and subjected to severe and documented testing procedures defined by UL
Automatic protection whenever a plug is removed
Tamper resistant receptacles add about a dollar to the price of the receptacle
Arc-Fault Circuit Breakers
Annually, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring. Arcing faults are one of the major causes of these fires. When unwanted arcing occurs, it generates high temperatures that can ignite nearby combustibles such as wood, paper, and carpets. Arcing faults often occur in damaged or deteriorated wires and cords. Some causes of damaged and deteriorated wiring include puncturing of wire insulation from picture hanging or cable staples, poorly installed outlets or switches, cords caught in doors or under furniture, furniture pushed against plugs in an outlet, natural aging, and cord exposure to heat vents and sunlight. Conventional circuit breakers only respond to overloads and short circuits; so they do not protect against arcing conditions that produce erratic current flow. The AFCI circuitry continuously monitors current flow through the AFCI. AFCIs use unique current sensing circuitry to discriminate between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the control circuitry in the AFCI trips the internal contacts, thus de-energizing the circuit and reducing the potential for a fire to occur. Presently, AFCIs are designed into conventional circuit breakers combining traditional overload and short-circuit protection with arc fault protection.It is important to note that AFCIs are designed to mitigate the effects of arcing faults but cannot eliminate them completely. In some cases, the initial arc may cause ignition prior to detection and circuit interruption by the AFCI.
The 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code requires that AFCIs be installed in all new dwelling units. Arc Fault breakers are not required in kitchens, bathrooms, unfinished basements, garages and outdoors. In many cases arc fault breakers cannot be retrofitted in older homes. They are only required for new circuits. The AFCI costs about ten times the amount of a standard circuit breaker.
LED Light Bulbs
Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps are the most exciting new product in the lighting industry. They solve many of the environmental, esticit, and technical issues of compact fluorescent lamps.
The long life and high efficiency make them an ideal solution for general lighting and hard to reach lighting fixtures. Also the outstanding energy efficiency, compared to standard Incandescent reflectors, LED lamps reduce energy consumption by up to 77%. The lamps optics also concentrates light on the target, diminishing wasted extraneous light.
The lamp life of up to 20,000 hours to 70% of initial light output is also a tremendous feature. (Actual lamp life before failure may be significantly longer.)
The color temperature is the same as incandencent lamps making them more attractive in homes. They have less heat, UV or infrared in the beam, reducing the potential for fading or discoloration of materials or décor, compared to halogen or Incandescent lamps.
New products also include a direct drop-in replacement for a fluorescent tube.
Store owners who have a large number of halogen lamps lighting there merchandise should look into this new technology. Along with energy credits, LED lamps can save you money.
CBRF Emergency Lighting
The recently adapted DHS 83 code for Community-Based Residential Facilities now requires emergency lighting in all CBRF’s. The code requires that all exit passageways and stairways be provided with emergency egress lighting with a stand-by power source and that all required exit signs shall be lighted at all times.
Also, depending on the number of residents, CBRF’s may also require lighted exit signs.
