# Smoke detector question



## Paelectrician (Jan 19, 2010)

Is it now a requirement to have your smoke detectors located in the bedrooms instead of in the hallways?


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## Mule (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Smoke detector question

It's actually required to have them inside every bedroom and outside every bedroom. If the bedrooms are in a common hallway, then one outside will work for all bedrooms within the area.


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## TJacobs (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Smoke detector question

2006 IRC...In the bedrooms and in the hallway:

*R313.2 Location.*

*Smoke alarms shall be installed in the following locations:*

*1.	In each sleeping room.*

*2.	Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms.*

*3.	On each additional story of the dwelling, including basements but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.*

*When more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed within an individual dwelling unit the alarm devices shall be interconnected in such a manner that the actuation of one alarm will activate all of the alarms in the individual unit.*


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## JBI (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Smoke detector question

Correct, and welcome home Mule... some of us were wondering where you've been. Hope you had a nice break.

Paelectrician - One in every sleeping space, outside sleeping areas, and at least one on every level. The 'outside sleeping areas' is a bit nebulous, and forces you to look at the range for the particular appliance. If 'sleeping spaces' on the same level are far enough apart, you may need one at each end of the hall, but generally only one near the middle of the hall would suffice.


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## Paelectrician (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Smoke detector question

Thanks guys for the help!


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## jar546 (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Smoke detector question

Don't forget the CO detector addition in the 2009 IRC.

PAeletrician, please remember that in PA your electrical work is per the International Residential Code (IRC) and we are now on the 2009 version.  There are chapters dedicated just to electrical that are for the most part almosts verbatim from the NEC.  There are other areas that will directly impact you as well so I would get very familiar with Chapter 3 too.

For residential I reference the IRC for electrical code violations so you will have to get an IRC and a NEC.  I hate referencing the IRC for electrical violations on residential but that is the way the codes were adopted into law.

Good luck with your new career.


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