smoke detectors

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what does yopur local code require. Are you a electrical inspector or building.
In Mass. locations are under the oversight of the building inspector.

Thats why I ask.
 
newinspector1 said:
Is a smoke detector required outside a bedroom if there is no door separating the bedroom from the living room?
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IMO- If their is no place for a door. Then the bed room is the living room.
Kind of like a studio apt. Why would you need two SD's in one room?
As the others have implied. It is a local ordiinance issue not an NEC.
 
is there an archway or header seperating the rooms? if so, i would think there should be a smoke detector in each room. The smoke can build up for a while along the ceiling before getting low enough to travel into the next room.
 
If you are using the International Building Code, I think a smoke detector is required. There are no exceptions for not having a door.

Just out of curiosity, if they lied and said it's a study or a home office, could you still make them install the detector?? (I'm assuming the furniture isn't put in until after the inspection.)

Or does a room with a closet automatically make it a bedroom? I guess I'm basically wondering how inspectors determine if a room is a bedroom, or not??
 
A bedroom will be specified on the plans in new construction, unfortunately this is an existing house. The specs for the house call for smoke detectors to be installed according to the NEC. I know that they fall under the building code, but I was just getting some opinions. They have already told me that it is a bedroom but that no door is separating the rooms. I am going to error on the side of caution and get them to install another smoke detector outside the room as called for in the NC residential code.
 
Think of it this way.....

Think of it this way.....

(1 week or 1 month after the final) "Gee, it's really pretty drafty in here. Lets put that door in after all."
 
newinspector1 said:
Is a smoke detector required outside a bedroom if there is no door separating the bedroom from the living room?
Click to expand...

In my opinion, yes. The 2006 IRC section R313.2 says "1. In each sleeping room. 2. Outside each sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms. 3. On each additional story of the dwelling." (No mention of doors) NFPA 72 section 11.5.1 Required Detection- says (1) In all sleeping rooms and guest rooms. (2) Outside of each separate dwelling unit sleeping area, within 21ft of any door to a sleeping room, the distance measured along a path of travel. (3) On every level of a dwelling unit, including basements.

An opening may be defined as a doorway, depending on who is making the call. IMO the code doesn't care if there is a door because NFPA 72 also requires that a wall mounted dectector not be farther than 12" from the adjoining ceiling surface.

To my knowledge, the NEC has no requirements for Residential smoke detectors. So it would depend on what codes are adopted in your jurisdiction.

In our jurisdiction if the room has a closet and an emergency escape window, then it is a bedroom.
 
It sounds as as if there is a devider of some sort. I would hard wire a smoke det. outside each sleeping room per code. Carefully read the building code art. in YOUR area or IRC standards. However, i can't see the layout.
 
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