Whether or not you need to have smoke alarms to sell your house depends on where you live. Some jurisdictions, like the state of Massahusetts, require a verification report by the local fire department before closing. Others, such as the City of Minneapolis, mandate a Truth-In-Housing inspection, with a list of safety and liveability standards that  includes smoke alarms. Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms may also be required. Our area of Florida does not require a smoke alarm inspection before selling a house, but it will likely be added before long. 

    Required or not, it’s indisputable that smoke alarms save lives. We check them during a home inspection, noting where they are missing, not functional, or past their rated 10-year lifespan. Most homebuyers today are picky about smoke alarms, and expect them to be in place and functional when they take possession of the house.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

Here’s links to some of our other blog posts about “SMOKE AND CO ALARMS":

• What is the best place to install carbon monoxide alarms (CO detectors) in a house? 

• Can the smoke sensors in a home security/fire alarm system replace the smoke alarms required by the building code?

• Does pushing the test button on a smoke alarm test the smoke sensor device inside? 

• Should a smoke alarm be installed in the kitchen? 

• Where are smoke alarms required to be located? 

• Are carbon monoxide alarms required to be installed in homes in Florida?

• When should I replace my smoke alarms? 

• Does the Nest Protect system meet current building code standards for a combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm system? 

• What does the new Florida smoke alarm law require? 

• Is there a Florida law that all older homes must have smoke alarms, regardless of when they were built? 

• Why are carbon monoxide (CO) alarms required by law for homes in Florida? 

• When were smoke alarms first required to be interconnected?

• How can I tell the difference between a smoke detector and carbon monoxide (CO) detector? 

• When were smoke detectors/alarms first required in Florida?

• What is the minimum height for placement of a CO alarm (carbon monoxide detector)? 

• Where does the code require CO alarms (carbon monoxide detectors)?  

• Is it illegal to disconnect a smoke alarm? 

• Where should smoke alarms NOT be installed?

• Does a home inspector test smoke alarms?

• Does a home inspector test CO carbon monoxide alarms?

• Why does my CO alarm (carbon monoxide) keep chirping after replacing the battery?  

• What is the average life expectancy of a CO carbon monoxide detector?

• What is the average life expectancy of a combination smoke and CO carbon monoxide detector? 

• Where should a smoke detector be placed on a tray (coffered) ceiling? 

• How close can a smoke detector be to a ceiling fan? 

• How close can a smoke detector be to an air conditioning/heating supply register (vent)? 

• How close can a smoke detector be to a bathroom door? 

• Are carbon monoxide (CO) alarms required in mobile/manufactured homes?

     Visit our SAFETY page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.