RESIDENTIAL SMOKE ALARM, CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM AND FIRE EXTINGUISHER INSPECTIONS

New Jersey Fire Code mandates the following when selling your 1 or 2 family home. Starting January 1, 2019. 

10 year sealed battery smoke alarms shall be required; regular battery only smoke alarms will no longer be compliant for resale.

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1) SMOKE ALARMS

• Alarms shall be on every level, including the basement. Levels that have bedrooms, alarms shall be within 21 feet of the bedrooms.

• The alarms should be mounted on the ceiling, but if an alarm has to be mounted on a wall, it must be 4 inches minimum and 12 inches maximum from the ceiling. They must also be 4 inches from any corner, and a minimum of 3 feet from any air registers.

• Smoke alarms, including hard wired, shall be under 10 years old.

• Please be sure to refer to the manufacturer's instructions.​

• Homes built before 1975 are to be 10 year sealed battery smoke alarms unless the home was upgraded to electric smoke alarms, in which case they would need to be maintained in that fashion.  Electric smoke alarms are to be interconnected with a battery backup starting in the year 1984 on each level of the home. ​Homes built from 1991 - present shall have electric interconnected smoke detectors with a battery backup on each level and in in every bedroom.

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2) CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS (CO)

• On each level that has sleeping areas, and installed in the vicinity of the bedrooms.

• They can be mounted on ceilings or walls with no height restrictions.

• Battery Only and Plug In CO alarms shall be under 5 years old. Combination Smoke Alarm/Carbon Monoxide Alarms shall be under 10 years old.

• Please be sure to refer to the manufacturer's instructions.

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3) FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

• A portable fire extinguisher shall be installed in all one and two family dwellings. Extinguisher size shall be a minimum of a 2A:10 BC rating and no bigger than a 10 lb. 4A:60BC rating.

• The extinguisher shall be charged, operable and MOUNTED in plain view, within 10 ft. of the kitchen and not mounted behind doors, blocked by furniture or in a cabinet.

• The Extinguisher must have been serviced or tagged by a certified licensed extinguisher contractor within the past 12 month or seller must provide proof of purchase by providing a receipt.

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4) FEES

The fee for an inspection and issuance of a certificate will be $45.00 on a scheduled inspection day (scheduled days are 10 business days or more from the contact date)

• $80.00 for a non-scheduled smoke detector inspection appointment more than 4 business days but less than 10 business days from the contact date

• $130.00 for a non-scheduled smoke detector inspection appointment less than 4 business days from the Bureau contact date.

• Any reinspection required for failure to have properly installed or operating detectors in accordance with the code will be subject to a reinspection fee of an additional $30.00. This fee will also be charged for failure to maintain the scheduled appointment or entry to the structure.

Payment by Credit Card is available. Please call 732-458-4100 for processing (a credit card processing fee may apply.)

Ordinance fee change effective 12/29/16.

Please also be reminded that closing on a resale of a residential dwelling without a properly issued Certificate of Certificate of Smoke Alarm, Carbon Monoxide Alarm and Portable Fire Extinguisher Compliance prior to closing subjects the seller to a minimum fine of $1000.00.

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5) FAQ

• If you have a Fire Alarm System, you will be required to know how to operate it. The alarm must be placed on **test** through the alarm company before we can test the alarm. You must know alarm codes, how to silence and reset the alarm. If the system is no longer being monitored, the alarm must still **sound** and you will still need to know the codes to silence and reset.

• If electric or hard-wired interconnected alarms need to be replaced due to age, they shall be replaced with hard-wired alarms. Battery alarms are not acceptable replacements for wired alarms.

• Do not mount alarms in unfinished attic spaces, stairwells, top of basement stairs or in the kitchen as they often result in unwanted false alarms.

Code References:
N.J.A.C.5:70-4.19 N.J.A.C.5:70-2.3 NFPA 72 ANSI/UL 217 UL-2034 NFPA 720

CALL THE BUREAU OFFICE
AT 732-458-4100 FOR INFORMATION
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Check your alarms to see that they are operational.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER INSTALLATION OF SMOKE ALARMS AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM/DETECTORS.

If you feel there may be any danger of fire, CALL 9-1-1.

APPOINTMENTS: Call the Brick Bureau of Fire Safety 732-458-4100 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or e-mail us at bureau@brickfire.org. The following information will be needed to set up an appointment for our inspectors:

Contact Person's Name:___________________
Phone # (Daytime)_________________________
Address of Resale Property:______________
Nearest Cross Street_____________________
Block: ________________ Lot:_____________
Owner's Name & Phone #:__________________
Year the House was Built_________________

SMOKE ALARMS

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If you were to build a house today, smoke alarms would be required in each bedroom, on each level of the home in the vicinity of the bedrooms, including basements. These alarms would be required to be electrically operated with a battery back up and interconnected, so if one alarm sounds they activate throughout the entire home.

The diagrams below also include smoke alarms in your bedrooms. These smoke alarms are needed for new construction, recommended for added protection and may be required when you add an addition or renovation. Contact the Building Department (732) 262-1035 if you have any fire code related questions on new construction and additions.

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Type of Smoke Alarms

WHICH TYPE?

IONIZATION

An ionization type alarm uses a very small quantity of radioactive material. These alarms are better at detecting small particles of combustion typically produced by flaming fires.

PHOTOELECTRIC

A photoelectric alarm uses a small infrared light. Photoelectric type smoke alarms are better at detecting larger particles produced by smoldering fires.Photoelectric alarms are slightly more resistant to unwanted alarms caused by cooking vapors or bathroom moisture.

Both types of alarms are tested and listed and when properly installed and maintained, both alarms will save lives.

Smoke and deadly gases are also hot, so they will rise towards the ceiling and that is where the alarms should be. In general you should put your alarms squarely in the path that smoke would probably travel if it were heading upstairs, down your hall or through your home. Protecting your bedrooms at night, or the area where you are most at risk from the fire when you are sleeping is a top priority. That's when and where most fire deaths occur.

CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM / DETECTORS

The above diagram shows a carbon monoxide alarm on each level -------

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For resale of the home, installation of a carbon monoxide alarm will be required in the vicinity of all sleeping rooms in all buildings of Use Groups I-1, R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 that contain fuel-burning appliances or have attached garages. If an individual dwelling unit does not contain a fuel-burning appliance, i.e. stove, furnace or hot water heater or have an attached garage, the residential unit is currently exempt from the carbon monoxide alarm requirement. In accordance with the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Fire Safety, effective April 7, 2003.

If an electric plug in type is utilized, it cannot be installed inside any room. In order to be heard while you are sleeping, it has to be in the hallway (outside the bedroom doors). If no outlet is available, a battery or electric type unit should be installed on the wall or ceiling in accordance with manufacturer's installation instructions. A combination Smoke Alarm/Carbon Monoxide alarm/detector can be installed. (REMEMBER: if the smoke alarm is required to be electric, the combination unit has to be electric.)

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

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FIRE EXTINGUISHER GUIDELINES according to the NJSA 52:27D-198.1: At least 1 portable (labeled, charged, and operable) fire extinguisher. The 2A10BC type shall be rated for residential use, mounted or placed on hanger or manufacturer’s bracket within 10 feet of kitchen area. (The top of the extinguisher shall be no more than 5 feet above the floor and readily accessible, near a room exit.)

RECALLS

The Brick Bureau of Fire Safety encourages all homeowners or sellers to check the smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in the residence prior to resale to see if they are included in the Kidde recall. The Brick Bureau of Fire Safety or its staff accepts no responsibility if the seller has failed to investigate and/or replace a recalled device.

For an up-to-date listing of recalls - go to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls and Product Safety News at www.cpsc.gov.

The following Kidde Fire Extinguishers have been recalled:

Recall on Kidde Fire Extinguishers. KIDDE Recall:Involves two styles of fire extinguishers: plastic handle fire extinguishers and push-button Pindicator fire extinguishers. Plastic handle fire extinguishers: The recall involves 134 models of Kidde fire extinguishers manufactured between January 1, 1973 and August 15, 2017, including models that were previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015. The extinguishers were sold in red, white and silver, and are either ABC- or BC-rated. The model number is printed on the fire extinguisher label. For units produced in 2007 and beyond, the date of manufacture is a 10-digit date code printed on the side of the cylinder, near the bottom. Digits five through nine represent the day and year of manufacture in DDDYY format. Date codes for recalled models.Recall

The following Carbon Monoxide devices have been recalled:

• The model is Nighthawk, manufactured between November 8, 1998 and March 9, 1999. The date of manufacture is on the back of the unit as year, month and day. The words NIGHTHAWK and Carbon Monoxide Alarm are written on the front of the unit. If only Carbon Monoxide Alarm is written on the front, the unit is NOT included in the recall.

• The Lifesaver models included in the recall are models 9CO-1 and 9CO-1C, manufactured between 6/1/97 and 1/31/98. The manufacture date is on the back of the unit as the first six numbers of the serial number, located above the UPC. The manufacture date is written as day, month and year. LIFESAVER and Carbon Monoxide Detector are written on the front of the unit. Should you have a unit included in the recall, contact Kidde Safety at (888) 543-3346.

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The following Smoke Detection devices have been recalled:

• Kidde Recalls Model PI2000 Dual Sensor Smoke Alarms. An electrostatic discharge can damage the unit, causing it not to warn consumers of a fire. The alarms can be identified by two buttons, "HUSH" and "PUSH AND HOLD TO TEST WEEKLY," which are located on the front/center of the alarm. The model number and date code are on the back of the smoke alarm. Only date codes 2008 Aug.01 through 2009 May 04 are included in this recall. Sold at retail, department, and hardware stores and through electrical distributors nationwide from August 2008 through May 2009 for between $30 and $40. Consumers should contact Kidde immediately to receive a free replacement smoke alarm at 1-877-524-2086 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit their website at

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RECALL: Kidde dual-sensor (photoelectric and ionization) smoke alarms - models PI2010 and PI9010 Hazard:A yellow cap left on during the manufacturing process can cover one of the two smoke sensors and compromise the smoke alarm's ability to detect smoke, posing a risk of consumers not being alerted to a fire in their home. Remedy:Replace Recall date:March 21, 2018

Kidde toll-free at 833-551-7739 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, or online at and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information.