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Smoke Alarms
are a Must
Your agent has alerted you to
a vital fire safety deficiency in your home. Not only
should you install smoke alarms prior to selling, you
should have them for your own safety throughout your
occupancy. According to the National Fire Prevention
Association, less than one minute may elapse between
the time a house is beginning to smoke until it is completely
engulfed in flames. If you happen to be sleeping during
that minute, you could miss out on the rest of your
life.
 The
fact that you've never had a fire is no guarantee you
never will. A set of properly positioned alarms can
ensure that you or the buyer of your home will be awakened
in time to seek safety.
Smoke alarm laws have
been part of the building code for more than 20 years,
yet are among the most frequently violated of home safety
requirements. A significant number of homes either have
no smoke alarms, have too few, have ones that are incorrectly
placed, or which are simply inoperative. So let's take
a quick look at the proper deployment of these imperative
life-saving devices.
Smoke alarm requirements
are not the same for every home. They vary according
to local municipal standards and the age of a specific
dwelling. For homes built prior to 1979, battery-powered
smoke alarms are permissible. In newer dwellings, alarms
must be powered by the electrical wiring. The problem
with battery units is that people often neglect battery
replacement. On the other hand, what good are wired-in
smoke alarms if you have an electrical fire accompanied
by a power outage? The safest arrangement, therefore,
is to install wired-in alarms, equipped with battery
back-up. This type of integrated alarm can be obtained
at most hardware stores and is required for homes built
as of 1993.
 As
to smoke alarm placement, requirements also vary according
to the age of the dwelling. In older homes, most municipalities
require alarms in the following locations: Within close
proximity to all bedroom entrances, on each story of
a multi-level home, and in basements. The latest standards,
enacted in 1993, require that there be an additional
alarm in each bedroom. Another practical location, although
not required, is the garage.
Additionally, wherever
smoke alarms are installed, ceilings are the best specific
locations, primarily because smoke rises. However, it
is permissible to install an alarm on a wall, as long
as it is within 12 inches of the ceiling.
One final requirement
involves homes that are remodeled or enlarged: When
the cost of an addition or alteration exceeds $1000,
and whenever a permit is required, smoke alarms must
be installed in compliance with the latest standards,
regardless of the age of the building.
Above all, wherever
you place your alarms and whatever kind of smoke alarms
you use, be sure to test them regularly to ensure that
they are operative at all times.
For further
details regarding specific smoke alarm requirements
in your area, it is advised that you consult your local
fire department.
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