Smoke Alarms - NYS

[pierre]

NYS has their own codebook for dwelling installations. There is a section, R317.1, which lays out the smoke alarm requirements.

R317.1.1 Alterations, repairs, additions and conversions.
When interior alterations, repairs, additions or conversions requiring a permit occur , or when one or more...... (the rest is not important for this topic)


As I read this, when INTERIOR work is permitted, smoke alarms are required to be installed to the new State code, period.

The problem is different municipalities are asking for different requirements. Some want smokes when decks outside the house are built, some say no smokes required for this type of work.


Funny thing: I emailed the state and I got 2 official responses :roll:

 

[ron]

Re: Smoke Alarms - NYS

I have not had to dive into that topic with NYS, but unfortunately, I'm not surprised.

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Re: Smoke Alarms - NYS

Originally posted by pierre:


Funny thing: I emailed the state and I got 2 official responses

 

[bill addiss]

Re: Smoke Alarms - NYS

Some want smokes when decks outside the house are built

I'd like to hear the rationale for that. How about a Fence or a Pool installation?

For what it's worth I've gotten conflicting answers on other issues myself.


Bill

 

[pierre]

Re: Smoke Alarms - NYS

Bill
We have a meeting today with the Building officials of Westchester, and the Regional Director of NYS. I will let you know what happens, and if we can resolve this issue. My bet is we do not get a solid answer, and will have to wait to get a response from Albany.

 

[bill addiss]

Re: Smoke Alarms - NYS

pierre,

For what it's worth, a local Contractor's Association had people come down from (Kingston?) (DOS) for a special meeting on a specific (basic) issue. Local Bldg dept officials, Fire Marshals, Inspectors and ECs came from all over Long Island. A few months later I tried to verify the info and couldn't, and when I sent an inquiry about it I got a different answer from the same source (different person).

Good Luck,
Bill

[ November 17, 2005, 09:14 AM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]

 

[pierre]

Re: Smoke Alarms - NYS

Bill, you will be happy to know that yesterday we got the definitive answer from NYS about smoke alarms.
Ron Piester and Sam Ricota were at the meeting with the building officials, and we got an answer very quickly. Even after the answer was put forth at the meeting, there were building officials who said that their opinion was different. Ron Piester is the head person in NYS for the Codes Division. His response to the Building officials was quite simple and to the point.

It is not your job to espouse your opinions, it is your job to enforce the code as written, whether you agree with it or not. If you cannot do so, you do not have a job in this state.

That brought a calming quiet to the room

So the answer is:
Any permit pulled (contractor, plumbing, electrical, HVAC) for a dwelling unit, for any work, inside or outside will require the smoke alarm system to be brought up to current NYS code requirements - hardwired and interconnected.
I should have the Letter of Clarification in my hand some time next week or early the week after, if you would like a copy, let me know. They also told us that all letters of clarification are written and hold weight the same as the code itself.


Bill, other news that you may be interested in... kind of surprised me.
If an individual installs a hardwired smoke alarm in NY State, that individual is required to have one of the two different types of Alarm Licenses!!!!

There are jurisdictions in NYS that do not require a license to install electrical work (still unbelievable to me, but true). In those areas anyone can perform electrical installations. If in that same jurisdiction that non licensed individual installs hardwired smoke alarms, he will need to have the full blown Alarm License...yeah we see that everyday.

The problem as usual is enforcement of all of the different laws and regulations.

 

[bill addiss]

Re: Smoke Alarms - NYS

Bill, other news that you may be interested in... kind of surprised me.
If an individual installs a hardwired smoke alarm in NY State, that individual is required to have one of the two different types of Alarm Licenses!!!!

Pierre,

I had heard that years ago, the talk at the time was that the EC would have to supply the power to the ceiling box and connect the pigtail - then the (LV only) Alarm Guy could plug it in .... I haven't seen this enforced..

My understanding (don't quote me on this) is that the Alarm guys lobbied to have a special license some years ago and got it passed. EC Masters who had done Alarm work before that time (or had training before some cutoff date??) could get the License easily.

I would be very interested in seeing a copy of that letter regarding the smoke alarms.

Bill

[ November 18, 2005, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]