smoke detector locations - unusual floor plan

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Sorry to jump in again, but I have one more question. I went to add the wiring and box for the basement smoke alarm, and I see there's an old gas water heater there, right in the middle of the basement area. I should try to keep it some distance away from the gas water heater, right? I've got the wire hanging there long enough to reach anywhere in the basement, but I think I'm just going to put it near the stairs going up, since I don't want to get too close to the gas appliance (water heater) in the middle of the room.

And the basement one should be a smoke/CO combination alarm just like the one in the hallway of the main floor, right?
 
I would install the smoke alarm at the bottom of the stairs. A CO detector is not required unless there's a bedroom. Per building code.
Barring any local amendments, of course.

Ron
 
rc/retired said:
I would install the smoke alarm at the bottom of the stairs. A CO detector is not required unless there's a bedroom. Per building code.
Barring any local amendments, of course.

Ron
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Yep.
I always call if I'm unfamiliar with an area/city.

Out of the nearly 200 municipalities in the KCMO metro area, I know of only one that requires CO detector in a basement
 
gadfly56 said:
You need a CO detector if you have fossil fuel fired appliances. That water heater qualifies.
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Correct. The building code requires the CO detector to be installed near the entrance to bedrooms.
Colorado requires the detector to be installed within 15'.
In the event you're all electric, like I am, it's not required. However, a CO detector is required if you have an attached garage.

Ron
 
mtnelect said:
Do not forget interconnection.
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I have the wires run for interconnection already. I probably forgot to make that clear. My main question was about clearance from the water heater. Here we have from reply #3:
Fred B said:
Smoke alarms and smoke detectors shall not be installed between 10 ft (3.0 m) and 20 ft (6.1 m) along a horizontal flow path from a stationary or fixed cooking appliance
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That seems to apply to all stoves, whether gas or electric, but I guess there is no similar requirement for water heaters?
 
Tigerloose said:
I guess it takes faith in doing the right thing. Would you concede that an occupiable level is also an occupiable space?
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Yes, but that phrase "occupiable level" indicates that there are some levels which are not occupiable. Such as unfinished basement.

And I'm curious about the use of both words, occupiable and occupied. Is there a contextual reason?
 
James L said:
Yes, but that phrase "occupiable level" indicates that there are some levels which are not occupiable. Such as unfinished basement.

And I'm curious about the use of both words, occupiable and occupied. Is there a contextual reason?
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A crawl space could be considered not occupiable. An unfinished basement with a washing machine and dryer is certainly occupiable. Likewise with a water heater and HVAC equipment. And how unfinished does it have to be? My basement is 1/3 finished, 1/3 unfinished, and 1/3 an attached garage. You could certainly put a chair, or even a bed in the 1/3 unfinished space.
 
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