Need Smoke Detector Every 900 sq feet?

[NateTheGreat]

The fire marshal says that we need to install more smoke detectors so that every 900 sq feet of the haunt has one because we are a special amusement building. They all must be wired into the original fire detectors and alarms and it would cost a huge amount. Does this seem right for a temporary tenant for a month? Does anyone know of any loopholes or ways around this?

-Nathan

[NateTheGreat]

my haunt is in San Leandro, California if that helps.

[Dreamreaper]

Would they let you use batt operated w/fresh batteries, one in every room?

[Boni]

Lowes has wireless interconnected smoke detectors. One goes off and all the rest go off. It skips the whole hard wiring requirement. About 25 dollars each.

[brad]

Boni has a good point with the wireless ones.

Some states have codes and rules for "temporary" haunts, and they wont be required to do as much as a permanent haunt. For example... our haunt was almost 10,000 sq.ft. last year and we weren't required t have a sprinkler system installed.

We also got away with having battery operated detectors. But this year we are installing an inter connected system.

Work with your fire marshall, and depending on your size, you could probly get outof installing a professional system.

[Darkblood]

We had to have them this past year, but not the year before.
We were in a building, 2nd floor with about 4-5,000 sq. ft.
We needed 4 the fire marshal said...just basic 10.00 ones from Home Depot.
We got ones with lights on them.

Kirk

[Jim Warfield]

We Live Here.

We got smoke detectors a long time ago, we own the place.
For awhile they would give us false alarms around 3am (this place IS haunted) I finally solved this problem by giving the outside of the detectors a wash with Home Defence bug spray, the little spiders find a small amount of needed heat inside of them, I guess? Crawl in to live and sooner or later set off the false alarm.
With the number of haunts torched over the years, why would any of us not want to have smoke alarms? Spent all your funds on rubber noses and wax teeth?
Rubber noses and wax teeth won't protect you.
They burn.
Leaving a small sticky spot.

[Mike Goff]

It sounds like you already have a panel, and speaker strobes, thats where all of the money is. Smoke detectors really don't cost that much.
I would guess that whoever you have that tests your system, can probably wire them up for 15 to 25 bucks per device.

I am not familiar with California, but here in the semi free state of Ohio, it costs 50 bucks to take the fire alarm installers exam, and then you can do it yourself. Anyone who can wire up an animatronic, can probably wire up a fire alarm, they are pretty straight forward.

As long as you don't have to submit drawings, it really shouldn't cost that much.

good luck!

[VSneader2]

These are the ones that I plan on using in my haunt. I don't see why they couldn't be wired into an existing system.

http://www.bestqualitysafety.com/Kid...6E_p/1276e.htm

[Mike Goff]

I have no idea what your particular situation is, but my OHJ would never allow me to use residential smoke detectors. Nate stated that the fire marshal wants a smoke for every 900 sq. ft. This would mean, that assuming your detection overlaps by 5' you would need a device that will detect from at least a 20' radius. These detectors don't even give a range spec so I'm sure that they wont cover 900 sq. ft.

Seriously, I think that I paid like 30 bucks a piece the last time that I bought smoke detectors. I'm all about saving money, but Damn!
I would bet that in the long run, it would be cheaper to do it right the first time, and would go a long way to starting what could be a reasonable experience with the Fire marshal.