Fire Safety Tips

October is Fire Prevention Month!

It’s a great time to refresh your memory about important fire prevention measures in your home, and to check those smoke alarms! Even as Home Inspectors who look for the presence of smoke alarms during every inspection, it’s a great reminder to stop and make sure they are present and working in your own home. Here’s some helpful information and reminders, but it’s also always a good idea to check with your local municipality for any specific ordinances that may apply to you. 

Smoke Alarms

Every home in Minnesota is required to have smoke alarms in every bedroom AND on every floor. There are some city specific requirements that may apply to you, but let’s break down where and how many smoke detectors are required.

The location and type of smoke alarm required depends on the age of your home. Here in Minnesota the breakdown dates are 8/1/1989 and 3/31/2020. Also, depending on what type of smoke alarm you have/had (wired or non-wired), will dictate what type of alarm is to be installed. All of the following information about requirements was found on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s website.

If an existing home was built before 8/1/1989, the requirements are as follows:

• In every bedroom
• In hallways outside bedrooms
• On every floor of the home including basement
• Placed either on the ceiling or on the wall no less than 12” (inches) from the ceiling.
• On the center of the ceiling above stairwells
• May be battery powered (check with city ordinance)
• Are NOT required to be interconnected

If an existing home was built between 8/1/1989 and 3/31/2020, the requirements are as follows.

• In every bedroom
• In hallways outside bedrooms
• On every floor of the home including basement
• Placed either on the ceiling or on the wall no less than 12” (inches) from the ceiling
• On the center of the ceiling above stairwells
• Required to be hardwired into home with 120 volt service
• Are NOT required to be interconnected

If an existing home was built on or after 3/31/2020, the requirements are as follows:

• In every bedroom
• In hallways outside of bedrooms
• On every floor of the home including basement
• Placed either on the ceiling or on the wall no less than 12” (inches) from the ceiling
• On the center of the ceiling above stairwells.
• Required to be wired with 120 volt service with battery backup
• Required to be interconnected (all alarms sound when one is activated)

Smoke Alarm Maintenance

Many people know that we should check our smoke alarms monthly by pressing the “test button” on the actual alarm. Depending on the type of system you have in your home, all the alarms may trigger when one is triggered. Regardless of what type of system you have (interconnected or non-interconnected), every alarm should be tested. Just because an alarm may sound in an interconnected system, does not necessarily mean that the alarm is working properly. Every unit should be tested. 

Batteries should be replaced yearly even if the low battery tone isn’t going off. This will ensure the alarm will sound even if the power is out within your home. It is also important to make sure that the alarms themselves are clear of cobwebs and dust. This could cause the alarms to malfunction and not alert when needed.

Most smoke alarms have a 7-10 year life expectancy on them and should be replaced with the type that is already installed, i.e: wired vs battery powered. If your smoke alarm is sealed and does not have a replaceable battery, the whole unit should be replaced once the low battery begins to chirp. 

Types of Smoke Detectors

There are three different types of smoke detectors available: ionization, photoelectric, and combination. Let’s break down the difference between each of them for you so that you can better choose what is best for you and your home. 

Ionization: Ionization smoke detectors are monitoring electrically charged particles (ions) within the air. When smoke is present, this balance changes and the alarm will sound. There are studies that show that ionization detectors are marginally faster at indicating flames than photoelectric detectors. The average cost of an ionization detector is usually around $10-$15. These should also be replaced every 7-10 years.

Photoelectric Detectors: Photoelectric detectors use small beams of light to detect the presence of smoke. This type of detector has been found to detect smoldering fires quicker than Ionization detectors. The average cost of a photoelectric detector is usually around $20-$25. These should be replaced every 7-10 years.

Dual Detector: Dual detectors use both a photoelectric eye and ionization sensor allowing for the best of both worlds. The average cost of a dual sensor detector is usually around $30-$35. These should be replaced every 7-10 years.

An interesting fact that I recently learned: Smoke detectors are made with Brominated Flame Retardants that turn yellow as it ages. If you have a smoke detector that is yellow or brownish in color, it is more than likely past its expiration date and should be replaced. 

Egress (Windows and Doors)

When it comes to fire safety, windows and doors may not be the first thing on your mind, but it is important to talk about because in a fire, you need to be able to get out! In the real estate world, these are called egress or a means of exit from one place to another that is clear and easy to use without hindrance.

Every bedroom must have both an inward swinging door, and either a window or an exterior door that is operable without the use of keys, tools, or special knowledge. There are specific sizes required as well. In above grade bedrooms, the window must be a minimum of 5.7 sq/ft and no more than 44 inches from the ground. In below grade bedrooms, there must be a presence of a window well (commonly known as an egress window) of 9 sq/ft with a width of 36 inches. If the window well is deeper than 44 inches, a permanently mounted ladder must be installed as well that does not block the usage of the window. 

It is also recommended to sleep with the bedroom door closed. There are numerous videos that show how effective a closed bedroom door is at keeping fire out of that room, here’s a great one! As a father of two, I understand how hard it can be to have the door closed at night because it can be hard to hear them if they need me. But witnessing fire demonstrations in person and speaking with firefighters in my community, I have come to terms with this and resolved that it is safer for my family to sleep with their doors closed.

Final Thoughts

To wrap this up I would like to leave you with some final thoughts. Smoke detectors can be an often overlooked safety feature in our homes. Changing batteries, chirping alarms when that pan gets too hot while cooking (we’ve all been there), and the cost of purchasing them, along with many more reasons are why we may not want to deal with them. It also may feel like ‘it will never happen to me’, but statistically, a house fire occurs every 87 seconds. 

To end this article, here are some helpful tips to help prevent house fires. 

• Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors per your state requirements and to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Test smoke detectors monthly, replace batteries yearly, and replace the whole unit every 7-10 years.
• Clean and maintain your dryer exhaust vent.
• Clean and maintain your cooking range. Build up of grease and food are prime areas for potential fire.
• Do not leave candles lit if you are not there to monitor them.
• If your home does not have GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets within 6 ft of any water source (kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, outside, and garages), have them installed to help prevent potential electrical issues. 
• If you have a fireplace that is either wood or gas, have it maintained on a regular basis. Creosote build-up in wood fireplaces is a potential fire risk and should be cleaned by a certified chimney sweep. 
• Keep flammable materials away from any heat or flame source.
• Maintain any gas appliance within your home.

If you are moving into a home, among some of the first things that should be replaced in your home along with new locks is the smoke detectors. If you aren’t sure how old they are, it is better to replace them and start from scratch. We often say that you can never have too many smoke detectors in a home. When in doubt, put one in.