Massachusetts Real Estate fire certificate rules for sold homes - Smoke Detectors: First Floor, Second Floor, Basement Level, Enhanced 911 Instructions, Dreamhomes, your Internet Realtor making the home buying or selling process easy and profitable. Internet ease with personalized service.

	Smoke Detectors: State Law requires one operating detector on every habitable level, including basement. Finished attic space is a habitable level. There must be at least one detector for every twelve hundred square feet of floor space.

	First Floor: Detector should be placed in the hallway near a stairwell to the second floor unless there is a bedroom on the first floor. In this case the detector must be placed outside the bedroom door. Second Floor: Dectector must be placed in the hallway common to the bedrooms, normally at the head of the stairs. The idea is for the smoke to get to the dectector before it reaches the bedroom doors. Basement Level: Dectector should be placed on the cellar ceiling near the stairway, but not in the stairwell. Dectors placed in the stairwell do not meet code and the Certificate will not be granted. The law is very specific on placement of dectors in the basement. If the basement ceiling is comprised of exposed joists, the detector must not be located in the bay formed by the joists, (i.e. not on the underside surface of the sub-floor surface). All detectors must be placed on horizontal surfaces (ceilings). The detector must not be placed less than 12 inches from the junction of the ceiling to the wall. If the detector is wall mounted - it must be placed at least 12 inches from the ceiling. (Testing has shown that smoke travel pushes up a wall and builds in the area of clear air ahead of it. The smoke, when it reaches a certain point rolls over and across the ceiling. The smoke never actually reaches into the 90-degree corner, and hence a detector would not be activated if placed there).

	Enhanced 911 Instructions: As part of the requirements enabling legislation for "Enhanced 911", all buildings and dwellings will have numbers locating the building or dwelling visible from the street. If the numbers are on the structure, they must be of a contrasting color. Numbers on mailboxes or posted on signage are acceptable, so long as normal snow depths would not cover them. If they do not meet criteria, the Certificate Of Compliance will not be issued.

Home About Us Contact Us Register Free CMA Privacy Policy Terms of Use