Which rooms in a residential house are required to have smoke detectors?

This info is from the listed website.

The primary job of our smoke alarm is to protect you from fires while you are asleep. Thus, your alarms should be located between any sleeping persons and the rest of the house ' outside bedrooms or sleeping areas. But tests conducted in the 1970's clearly showed that this might not be enough.

In multi-story homes, fires on a floor level without a smoke alarm can grow to dangerous conditions before sufficient smoke can rise in a stairway to set off an alarm on the upper floor. Based on this observation, most codes require that additional smoke alarms be located on each floor level of the home.

A closed door provides protection from smoke on the other side, but will also prevent smoke from reaching a smoke alarm. This is particularly a problem in bedrooms. If you sleep with your bedroom door closed, you should add a smoke alarm in the bedroom; particularly if you smoke in the bedroom or there is a TV, air conditioner, or other major appliances in the bedroom that might start a fire. If you sleep with the bedroom door open, the alarm in the hall outside will detect a fire in the bedroom or elsewhere.

There are a few places where a smoke alarm should not be placed. These include kitchens and garages (cooking fumes and car exhaust are likely to set them off) and unheated attics and crawl spaces (where it can get too cold or hot for the electronics to work properly). Fires beginning in these areas are generally detected by the other smoke alarms in enough time to escape safely. If an alarm is desired in these spaces, heat detectors are available. But remember that the smoke alarms are the primary safety devices in any home protection scheme.

Smoke Alarms (http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pyfff/smkalarm.html)

It also varies according to area, so the best thing really is to call your local fire department or a Real Estate Broker to find out what your area requires.

Just a note, as stated this varies a bit from place to place. One thing is this is not an electrical code issue. It is a building code requirement.

Just a note, as stated this varies a bit from place to place. One thing is this is not an electrical code issue. it is a building code requirement.


I was about to post the same thing. You need to ask your local building code authorities. Keep in mind, the answer they give you will be the MINIMUM required to comply with code. You may want to install more than this minimum requirement.

And don't forget CO or SD/CO detectors as well.

Could someone enlighten me as to the building code that covers smoke detectors?

I thought that electricians would know better.

I find that National Fire Protection Association standard NFPA 72 covers smoke detectors, which can be reviewed here:

NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (http://www.nfpa.org/AboutTheCodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?DocNum=72)

Any building code will refer to this standard.


And no one pick up on this silly, inaccurate advice?


If you sleep with your bedroom door closed, you should add a smoke alarm in the bedroom; particularly if you smoke in the bedroom or there is a TV, air conditioner, or other major appliances in the bedroom that might start a fire. If you sleep with the bedroom door open, the alarm in the hall outside will detect a fire in the bedroom or elsewhere.

The above IS NOT the code for smoke detectors. And the link this advice comes from our government!

The general, minimum code for smoke detectors is as follows for an average size home, as per NFPA 72 Section 29.5.1

One detector per level of dwelling, including basement.

One detector per bedroom.

One detector within 21 feet outside any bedroom(s).

(Sleeping with door open or closed DOES NOT MATTER)


If the living area is on the same level as the bedrooms and separated by a door, both the living area AND outside the bedroom area shall each have it's own detector.

All detectors shall be AC and DC powered, and shall be interconnected, if one goes off due to detecting smoke, they all sound alarm.

Levels larger than 1000 square foot require more detectors.

There are other special circumstances that need to be concerned with.

Any town, city, or state can change, add, etc this code.

Best to check with your local building official or Fire Marshall to learn what is required in your area.

And no one pick up on this silly, inaccurate advice?

Yeah, I kind of missed that part. :o

I'll admit I didn't read that post, I only glanced.

Post #6, tkrusell, the gov't website that provided the info that you considered silly, is not. NFPA72 is more specific and is a better source of information, but one must also use common sense too.

Consider this, what exactly to do they mean by the "average size home?" A three bed, two bath? That needs to be more clear. Since it is not clear enough, you can take into consideration the advice about sleeping habits and where to put a smoke alarm.

Many condos and apartments do not have smoke detectors in the bedrooms, only the halls. If you live in a smaller place than the average size home, that advice suits well for common sense. Although, it is not as specific as it should be.

Also, when you made fun of stanfortyman that he should know better, it is not professional. Maybe you guys are friends, but the average reader does not know it. It is always irksome for members to try and help, only to have an AMHD "expert" come and bash what is said, without inputting their facts professionally. You can be polite about it.

Also, when you made fun of stanfortyman that he should know better, it is not professional. Maybe you guys are friends, but the average reader does not know it. It is always irksome for members to try and help, only to have an AMHD "expert" come and bash what is said, without inputting their facts professionally. You can be polite about it.TK usually IS the polite one and I am usually the jerk.
And to be honest I don't see where he made fun. He was just stating facts and opinion.

It's all good.

Well, I am looking forward to asking you guys about the next electrical problem I have around here.

First off, the government should know that NFPA IS THE STANDARD IMPLEMENTED IN THE USA, not just a "more specific and is a better source of information".

For a government website to advice people that a smoke detector in a bedroom is not needed if they sleep with the door open is just down right criminal, not just silly.


I addressed the size of home, by stating "Levels larger than 1000 square foot require more detectors." That is not just the home, each level, or floor. That is clear.

Any location you find them only in the hallways were probably built before the detector was required in each bedroom later. Codes change periodically. The detector in each bedroom has been code for several years.

I don't know Stan from a hole in the wall, personally. I do know him well enough from our answering questions here. He knows where I am coming from when I say he, or any tradesmen, should know better.

We all learn everyday in this trade. He and Ohbob just learned something, or was reminded. I know they know, they just did not state it, or think of it.

You will not find anyone here more professional or polite than me.


However, when lives are at stake, I will only be so polite.

I am not just an "AMHD expert". I have been doing this trade for coming up to 38 years. And not just doing the work. Master license in two states, certified electrical inspector, insurance inspector, owning a company with sales over 4 Mil, managing service and technician crews, designing power distribution systems up to 3000 amps, on and on. Not just a Romex Ranger here.

I am very passionate about this trade, and the lives and personal property that can be lost by poor installations, and advice.

If I ruffle someone's feathers a bit, oh well, so sad, too bad.

Besides, Stan has no feelings to hurt.

Welcome to the wounderful world of electricity and codes and laws a bylaws its not as easy as one simple answer poor soul you confused the snot of the them!

A simple answer would have been one in every room of the house and make sure they are the daisy chain ones so when one goes off they all go off.. better to be safe than sorry..