PART 9 — HOUSING AND SMALL BUILDINGSUpdated for the 2024 Ontario Building Code
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9.10.19.3.Location of Smoke Alarms (See Note A-9.10.19.1. and A-9.10.19.3.)
(1) Except as permitted in Article 9.10.19.8., within dwelling units, sufficient smoke alarms shall be installed so that
(a) there is at least one smoke alarm installed on each storey, including basements, and
(b) on any storey of a dwelling unit containing sleeping rooms, a smoke alarm is installed
(i) in each sleeping room, and
(ii) in a location between the sleeping rooms and the remainder of the storey, and if the sleeping rooms are served
by a hallway, the smoke alarm shall be located in the hallway.
(See Note A-9.10.19.3.(1))
(1.1) Except as permitted in Article 9.10.19.8., within a house with a secondary suite that contains an interior shared
means of egress or common area, a smoke alarm shall be installed in each shared means of egress and common area.
(2) A smoke alarm required in Sentences (1) and (1.1) shall be installed in conformance with CAN/ULC-S553,
“Standard for Installation of Smoke Alarms.”
(3) Smoke alarms required in Article 9.10.19.1. and Sentences (1) and (1.1) shall be installed on or near the ceiling.
(4) A smoke alarm required in Sentences (1) and (1.1) shall have a visual signalling component conforming to the
requirements in 18.5.3. (Light, Color and Pulse Characteristics) of NFPA 72, “National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.”
(5) The visual signalling component required in Sentence (4) need not
(a) be integrated with the smoke alarm provided it is interconnected to it,
(b) be on battery backup, or
(c) have synchronized flash rates, when installed in a house with a secondary suite or an individual dwelling unit.
(6) The luminous intensity for visual signalling components required in Sentence (4) that are installed in sleeping rooms
shall be a minimum of 175 cd.
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Code text is reproduced for reference from the Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24, 2024 Building Code Compendium). This page is provided for general information and is not an official copy. Always verify requirements against the official Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.