Cameron L. wrote in to ask if the new California law requiring all homeowners to have carbon monoxide detectors in their house means that he needs to add a CO devise to his monitored security alarm system.
The answer is NO.
Carbon Monoxide is a gas produced by combustion and when household appliances that produce CO are properly vented, the gas escapes the hope and dissipates into the atmosphere. If your ventilation becomes compromised, the gas can accumulate in your home with potentially harmful results including death. A local alarm only detector will set of a siren to alert home residents when CO levels go above normal levels so that the occupants can open windows to ventilate the home and evacuate until the problem can be resolved.
A Carbon Monoxide detector that is tied into your monitored security alarm system will send a signal to your central monitoring station who will dispatch the fire department to your home. Most homeowners (including me) do not feel that this is a necessary response and therefor elect not to have CO detection as part of their system.