Are residential fire alarms required to be monitored by a central station?

Answer 1

If by central station you mean monitoring company, then the answer is no.

Futhermore, as timcsa, accurately stated, it is in fact prohibited to be connected to the central building alarm if it causes a general alarm. (Thumbs up for that.) That actually comes out of NFPA 72, chaper 6, for protected premesis alarm systems.

However, it IS permissible to wire it in reverse, so that if the central alarm system goes off, the individual unit's sounders also activate. You can also monitor the state of the detectors, but cannot initiate an alarm automatically. However, allowing the monitoring and requiring it are 2 different things.

Answer 2

The 2002 National Fire Alarm codes requires multipule station smove detectors in each sleeping area in a dwelling and immediately outside each sleeping area. Dwelling includes single family homes, condo, apartments, etc. Mulitple station means they have to be interconnected so that if one detects smoke and sounds the alarm, they all sound the alarm. They are not required to be monitored by a monitoring service or a fire station.

If it's an apartment or condo, and there is a building fire alarm systems that covers common areas like hallways, stairwells, and lobbies, The smoke detectors inside the individual units are prohibited from being connected to the building fire alarm system in a manner that would cause the building fire alarm system to sound a general alarm.

The 2002 fire alarm code is still in effect, and will be until the next code update cycle is published, which is either 2007 or 2008.

Answer 3

I'm assuming you mean a central fire station and not a central monitoring station (your alarm company).

Short answer - No.

Longer answer - No, unless you have a local ordinance that requires such monitoring. But that would be tough for the municipality to police so I'm not sure any town would require all their residences to be monitored by the fire department.

Of course, I'm no expert. I'm guessing the best people to provide you with an answer would be your local fire department. Give them a call or stop by the fire house.

Answer 4

It isn't required where I live. Each bedroom of the house has a smoke detector, and there are carbon monoxide detectors on each level.

My house has a monitored alarm system which includes smoke detectors. In case of smoke detection, the siren will sound and the monitoring station will notified. They will dispatch the fire department if needed. My home insurance has a deduction for this.