Smoke Alarm Requirements Under Section 2.13 of the Fire Code FAQ's Page 2
Augusta Fire Rescue
Is a cellar, attic space or crawl space required to have a smoke alarm installed under the changes to Section 2.13 of the Fire Code?
A space without a finished floor is not considered a storey and therefore smoke alarms are not required. “Attic space” is defined in the Fire Code as a space between the roof and the ceiling of the top “storey” (i.e. cavity within the roof space). As such, it is not designated as a “storey” and a smoke alarm is not required. However, an attic or roof space that has a floor and contains a living space or storage is no longer an “attic space” by definition. Such a space is considered a “storey” and a smoke alarm must be installed. A “crawl space” is not defined in the Fire Code but generally refers to a cavity space located beneath the house or a portion of the house and typically has a very low overhead. A crawl space without a finished floor is not a storey and does not require a smoke alarm. Where a crawl space has a finished floor and is used for storage or contains an appliance, it is a storey and requires a smoke alarm. A crawl space that extends out from an adjoining basement does not require a separate smoke alarm since a smoke alarm is already required to protect the basement. “Cellar” is defined in the Fire Code as a basement that is more than 50% below grade. A cellar, like a basement is considered a “storey”. A smoke alarm is required to be installed in a space that falls under the definition of a cellar.
Where a dwelling unit is of a split-level design, is a smoke alarm required on each separate level?
No. A smoke alarm is not required on each level in a split-level dwelling unit because each level does not count as a separate “storey”. To determine the number of storeys in a dwelling unit, and thus determine the number of smoke alarms required, it is necessary to first identify the “first storey” of the dwelling unit. The Fire Code defines the “first storey” as meaning the storey with its floor closest to grade and having its ceiling more than 1.8 metres above grade. Once the first storey has been identified, it is then possible to identify the basement. The Fire Code defines a basement as meaning a storey or storeys of a building located below the first storey. Similarly, once the first storey is identified, it is then possible to identify the second storey and, where applicable, the third storey. As illustrated in the link, a storey can consist of more than one level. Only one smoke alarm is required to be installed in each storey (see note 1). However, when a dwelling unit contains multiple sleeping areas, a smoke alarm must be installed to protect each separate sleeping area. This may necessitate additional smoke alarms on some levels of a split-level home (see note 2). The following illustrated example of a split-level dwelling unit is provided for clarification.
