Changes made to smoke alarm law

People building or remodeling a home will be held under a tighter smoke alarm requirement aimed at cutting down fatalities which make Tennessee a leader in fire deaths every year.

The new law, which took affect Jan. 1, requires smoke alarms to be installed in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and each additional story of the building, including the basement.

In addition, the smoke alarms must be inter-connected, meaning if one alarm is activated it will, in turn, activate all the other alarms throughout the house. The alarms must also be hardwired into the building’s electrical system and have battery back-up power.

On existing buildings where repairs and additions require a permit, the homeowner will be held under the same strict requirements as new construction, although in many cases, hard wiring will not be required. The law does not cover alterations which affect only the exterior surface of a building.

The changes to the law are significant given the fact the former law only required one smoke alarm be audible in every sleeping area.

“Unfortunately, Tennessee is a leader in fire-related deaths and we want to make sure the public is aware of these charges in requirements,” said state Fire Marshal Paula A. Flowers.