Smoke Detectors for Bedroom

cibula11 · 09-13-2009, 09:05 PM

We are converting a garage to a bedroom and need the smoke detectors hardwired. We live in an older home and have smoke detectors in every bedroom, but they are battery operated. Will ALL detectors need to be hardwired or just the one for the remodel?

kbsparky · 09-13-2009, 09:16 PM

This depends on where you live. Some areas are requiring all smokes to be hard-wired and interconnected. Others only require upgrades to hard wired status.

Still others do not require diddly-sqwat.

What does your building permit and inspection office have to say?

Scuba_Dave · 09-13-2009, 09:30 PM

Up to the local Fire Inspector is my understanding
Here any large renovation/addition (25% of house usually) & they require all smokes to be hard wired

vsheetz · 09-14-2009, 12:46 AM

As others have said you need to check your local requirements. I recently remoded and was ok with one hardwared (with battery backup) in the bedrooms area hallway, bedrooms and others ok battery powered, and all communicated (wirelessly).

**Termite** · 09-14-2009, 01:21 AM

Totally up to the jurisdiction. The code does require harwired smokes, but that shouldn't mean that you should have to pull wire in parts of your home that are existing and unaffected by the scope of the remodel. The code also makes provisions for allowing battery operated smokes when pulling wire to interlace the smokes would be impossible or impractical.

My stance...
If you're working in a room that has attic accessible above, for example, then it is a no brainer to have the smoke in the room and the one outside the room interlaced. If you're working upstairs it would be out of line (in my opinion) to require you to bring the remainder of the house's smokes up to current code.

09-13-2009, 09:05 PM	#1
cibula11 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 913	Smoke Detectors for Bedroom We are converting a garage to a bedroom and need the smoke detectors hardwired. We live in an older home and have smoke detectors in every bedroom, but they are battery operated. Will ALL detectors need to be hardwired or just the one for the remodel?

09-13-2009, 09:16 PM	#2
kbsparky Electrical Contractor Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Delmarva Posts: 3,148	Smoke Detectors for Bedroom This depends on where you live. Some areas are requiring all smokes to be hard-wired and interconnected. Others only require upgrades to hard wired status. Still others do not require diddly-sqwat. What does your building permit and inspection office have to say? __________________ -KB Life is uncertain -- eat dessert first!! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-13-2009, 09:30 PM	#3
Scuba_Dave Xtreme DIY'r Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South of Boston, MA Posts: 17,248	Smoke Detectors for Bedroom Up to the local Fire Inspector is my understanding Here any large renovation/addition (25% of house usually) & they require all smokes to be hard wired

09-14-2009, 12:46 AM	#4
vsheetz Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,669	Smoke Detectors for Bedroom As others have said you need to check your local requirements. I recently remoded and was ok with one hardwared (with battery backup) in the bedrooms area hallway, bedrooms and others ok battery powered, and all communicated (wirelessly).

09-14-2009, 01:21 AM	#5
Termite Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 6,520	Smoke Detectors for Bedroom Totally up to the jurisdiction. The code does require harwired smokes, but that shouldn't mean that you should have to pull wire in parts of your home that are existing and unaffected by the scope of the remodel. *The code also makes provisions for allowing battery operated smokes when pulling wire to interlace the smokes would be impossible or impractical.* My stance... If you're working in a room that has attic accessible above, for example, then it is a no brainer to have the smoke in the room and the one outside the room interlaced. If you're working upstairs it would be out of line (in my opinion) to require you to bring the remainder of the house's smokes up to current code.

Smoke Detectors for Bedroom