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Smoke, Carbon Monoxide, and Heat Detector Information
Please Note: All homes must have house numbers that are a minimum of 3” and in a contrasting color from the house and visible from the street. Any structure not visible from the street must have house numbers on the home and on the post or mailbox at the street.
SMOKE & CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS
- All smoke detectors shall be mounted on the ceiling or mounted on the wall no more than 4” down or out.
- All houses will have smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors at the bottom of any staircase leading to the next upper level.
- There should be a detector for every 1,200 square feet of floor area.
- Houses built before 1975 may have battery operated smoke and CO detectors with battery back-up. If a bedroom is added or a 1,200 square foot addition or more than 40% renovation of the total structure, then the home must have photoelectric and ionization detectors and the wiring must be brought up to existing code.
- Any house built between 1975 and 1996 must have a hard-wire detector system. There must be at least one detector on each floor.
- Any house built after 1997 must have interconnected detectors with battery backup.
- Any house built after June 1996 must have a detector at the bottom of every stair case; within 10’ of any bedroom and 15’ of a kitchen. A detector must be located in every bedroom or room that may be considered a bedroom (any room that has a closet.)
- Any smoke detector within 20’ of a kitchen or bathroom must be photoelectric.
- Effective April 5, 2010, all smoke detectors must be photoelectric and ionization on new structures or renovated homes.
- A CO detector must be on EVERY floor/level of the home not to include attics and crawl spaces. A CO detector must be in any finished or unfinished basement, as well.
- There must be a CO detector within 10’ of any bedroom.
- Carbon monoxide detectors may be battery or plug-in type with a battery back-up.
- Carbon monoxide detectors maybe mounted on either the wall or the ceiling.
- As of March 2008, any new construction must have hard wire inter-connected carbon monoxide detectors with battery back-up.
- Combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors must have a voice annunciation for the alarm.
GARAGE HEAT DETECTORS
- As of September 2008, newly constructed homes having an attached garage must have a heat detector. Unattached garages are optional. There must be a separate sounding device in the home. The heat detector does not have to be wired into an alarm system.
This information provides general guidelines of the Massachusetts General Laws. Actual determination can be complicated and individuals are encouraged to contact the Holden Fire Department for a free survey of their home. The laws above are subject to change.
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