When were smoke detectors required to be hard wired. A condo assn. just called and told me that the bldg. dept found about 60 units that had combo smokes that were working on battery alone. Several years ago the assn paid to have SDs installed in the bedrooms, the installer took out a permit, ($15,000) but did not connect all of them hard wired. Now the bldg. dept wants them connected and new permits for each occupancy. Do they have to be interconnected between units?
Smoke detectors
- Thread starter hkme
- Start date
- Status
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
The do not need to be connected between each unit, and actually should not be connected between units. The must be interconnected only within the unit itself. Each condo is treated as a separate dwelling unit.
As for when they are required to be hardwired, there is no national standard. Many states allow battery operated smoke alarms in existing dwelling units.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Our state allows battery smokes on remodel jobs in rooms where you are not working if there is no access to install a hard wired one. Check with your AHJ
- Status