Akron, OH Building Safety: Carbon Monoxide Detectors (2026)

51 in 2022 (Ord. 304-2022) and it applies to both new and existing dwelling units. Coverage triggers whenever fuel-burning appliances, anything that burns coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, or natural gas, heat the unit, or whenever the dwelling sits in a structure with an attached garage. Detectors must be installed outside each separate sleeping area, in the immediate vicinity of that area, and on every additional story of the dwelling, including basements and cellars; crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics are excluded. Split-level units need a detector on each level.

Foster homes carry a stricter rule: every bedroom, not just sleeping areas generally, needs its own detector. Existing dwellings can run detectors on a self-monitored battery or hardwire them into the home's power supply following the 2023 National Electrical Code, but hardwiring first requires an electrical permit from the Summit County Division of Building Standards, since Summit County, not the City of Akron, handles electrical permitting. Building owners can install an approved carbon monoxide detection system instead of standalone units. Responsibility for upkeep splits by task: occupants replace batteries in battery-powered units, while property owners handle every other kind of maintenance. 51(I) flatly bars removing a detector or rendering one inoperative, regardless of who owns or rents the unit.