Tenant space Smoke detector requirements

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Kessler4130

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Maryland
I am having a hell of a time finding local codes in regards to the requirements of smoke detectors in tenant spaces, I believe it is a condo but haven't looked at the job yet. If anyone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it, until then I shall continue to google until something pops up.

This is in regards to Baltimore County, Maryland, and the only reason I say tenant space instead of just a residence is because I thought they were a bit stricter with landlords as opposed to homeowners.
 
Eh.... maybe more lax. The International Existing Building Code is probably the closest model code for your application. Depends a lot too on the construction type.
 
Reason I ask is because a customer has a battery powered smoke detector currently installed and an inspector is requiring her have a hardwire one installed in its place. There is no attic from what I was told, and I remember seeing somewhere that if you had to damage the finish of walls or ceilings that battery powered smokes could be substituted as long as they were maintained.

However I cannot find this, and she did not say what inspector is requiring this, I assume a building or safety inspector, but won't know until I stop by friday. I could always wiremold it, but chances of an arc fault circuit being close are probably non-existent, and wiremold just looks awful IMHO.

I will talk to the inspector friday hopefully and see what he is asking, and what code requires it. Baltimore County and City ofcourse seem to have trouble with peoples houses randomly burning to the ground so I can understand his frustration, but the landlord said he is only requiring one hardwired smoke on the second floor in the hallway, yet nothing in the first floor, or any bedrooms ? I would think he would atleast ask for one on each level.
 
I don't know what code they are using, so it would be interesting to find that out. They might have their own Baltimore City rule, and that wouldn't surprise me one bit. I don't have a copy of the International Existing Building Code here at home, but it seems to me that a battery detector has to have a lithium battery to qualify in a location where it would be otherwise very difficult to install a hardwired one.
 
Maybe NFPA 72. Seems to be the bible of the fire alarm group(s).
 
It seems strange that the inspector only wants 1. I would think if he wants to have one, he would want the whole 9 yards: every bedroom, 2nd fl hall, and 1 each level. Is this the electrical inspector? Being a rental, it could be fire marshal, but again, I would think he would want more. Home inspector?
 
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