DOB Publishes Final Rule on Natural Gas Detectors
Owners must comply on or before May 1, 2025.
On Feb. 14, the DOB adopted rules implementing Local Law 157 of 2016. The rules detail the installation and location of natural gas alarms in nearly all residential buildings in New York City. The City Council passed Local Law 157, the natural gas detector law, after two fatal gas explosions in 2014 and 2015. The law requires all residences in NYC to have natural gas detection once a national standard for the gas detectors had been established. That national standard was published in 2022 as NFPA 715 by the National Fire Protection Association.
The law requires owners to comply by May 1, 2025, and specifies that a compliant plug-in, hard-wired or battery-powered natural gas detector must be installed between 3 and 10 feet from any gas-powered appliance such as stoves and dryers. Here are some more important details from DOB’s adopted rules.
Applicable buildings. Natural gas detectors must be installed in all apartment buildings, hotels, and smaller residential properties that are not owner-occupied. However, buildings that don’t have gas piping or gas service aren’t required to install gas detectors.
Gas detector requirements. The gas detectors that comply with Local Law 157 are natural gas detectors that meet the requirements of NFPA 715-2023. The alarm must be labeled with the name of the manufacturer and be labeled with either UL1484 or UL2075. The devices can be hardwired, plugged into a constant power source, or battery-powered by a listed monitored low-power radio wireless system.
Location requirements. If your apartment has a gas-burning appliance, the detector must be installed in the same room as the appliance. The alarm must be located at least 3 feet, but not more than 10 feet, from the appliance, measured horizontally. And the gas alarm must be installed on either the ceiling or a wall. If it’s installed on a wall, the alarm must be within 12 inches of the ceiling.
If a space doesn’t allow for installation at least 3 feet from a gas-burning appliance, the alarm must be placed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or NFPA 715 location requirements.
Installer requirements. Hard-wired detectors require installation by a licensed electrician who obtains all required permits. Gas detectors powered by a battery or a plug-in power source can be installed by building owners, maintenance personnel, or tenants.