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Smoke Alarms: A Home Inspector’s Crucial Responsibility

by Rick Bunzel

As a home inspector, our role is to provide a comprehensive assessment of a property’s condition, including its safety features. Among these, smoke alarms are paramount. Ensuring these devices are functional is not merely a recommendation; it’s a critical duty that can significantly impact your liability. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) over 2,700 people died in residential fires in the United States. The NFPA data reveals the alarming statistic that nearly three out of five home fire deaths occur in properties with no smoke alarms or malfunctioning ones. While homes with working smoke alarms have a significantly lower rate of fire-related fatalities, tragic incidents can still happen due to factors like delayed responses, improper placement, or alarms that fail to alert occupants.

New UL Standards and Technology
The new smoke alarm standard, UL 217 8th Edition, implemented on June 30, 2024, reduces nuisance alarms and improves the ability of smoke alarms to detect smoke from synthetic materials. Key requirements of this standard include:

Nuisance alarm reduction: A test is incorporated to minimize false alarms triggered by cooking or steam.
Synthetic material detection: Smoke alarms must now be able to detect smoke from synthetic materials, such as polyurethane foam commonly used in furniture.
Multi-criteria detection: Smoke alarms should employ multi-criteria detection rather than solely smoke-specific sensors to identify both slow smoldering and fast flaming fires.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nuisance alarms are a primary reason homeowners disable their smoke alarms. The new standard aims to address this by making smoke alarms more effective at identifying actual threats. Additionally, technological advancements have introduced smoke alarms with enhanced features like self-testing capabilities and remote monitoring.

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Home Inspector Liability
Failing to report a defective, old or non-functional smoke alarm can have severe consequences for a home inspector. If a fire results in loss of life and the home had recently been inspected, the inspector may be held liable. In many cases, homeowners have sued realtors and home inspectors for negligence or breach of contract when a fire occurs in a property that was inspected but had underlying defects that contributed to the fire. These lawsuits can be complex, as they often involve determining the cause of the fire, the role of the realtor and home inspector, and the extent of their liability. Many attorneys will attack your contract language and file lawsuits in such cases. This liability can extend to financial losses, legal fees, and the considerable stress associated with such litigation.

To mitigate liability risks and protect the safety of homebuyers, inspectors should follow these best practices:

Thorough Inspection: Conduct a comprehensive inspection of the property, including all areas where smoke alarms are typically located.
Testing Smoke Alarms: Follow your standards of practice (SOPs). Most home inspector organizations and states with licensed inspectors have SOPs that cover smoke alarms:
• Documentation: Document the condition of smoke alarms and any recommendations for replacement or repair. Take pictures.
• Clear Communication: Communicate your findings clearly to the client, emphasizing the importance of addressing any issues with smoke alarms promptly.
• Stay Informed of the Latest Standards: Stay updated on the latest industry standards, regulations, and technological advancements related to smoke alarms.

By adhering to these best practices, home inspectors can help protect the safety and well-being of homebuyers and mitigate their own liability risks. Remember, ensuring the functionality of smoke alarms is not merely a task; it’s a crucial responsibility that can save lives and prevent property damage.

Photoelectric vs. Ionization Smoke Alarms—A Closer Look
There was once a debate 12 years ago among home inspectors about the superiority of photoelectric alarms, building codes and the construction industry still using ionization alarms. While the NFPA, UL, Fire Administration, and Consumer Protection Agency haven’t explicitly endorsed one type over the other, experts generally agree that a combination of photoelectric and ionization alarms provides the best overall protection.

Photoelectric smoke alarms are particularly effective at detecting smoldering fires, the most common cause of residential fire deaths. This is because they are more sensitive to larger smoke particles produced by smoldering fires. On the other hand, ionization smoke alarms are better suited for detecting flaming fires, which produce a large amount of smoke.

Should You Replace Your Ionization Alarms?
If your home was built in the last 20 years, it likely has ionization smoke alarms. While these alarms are still commonly installed due to their affordability and compliance with building codes, it’s recommended to replace them with either UL 217-compliant or combination sensor alarms when they are over 10 years old. If your smoke alarms are relatively new, then I would recommend adding/ replacing combination alarms in the hallways of the residence.

Sources
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
U.S. Fire Administration

About the Author

Rick Bunzel is the principal inspector with Pacific Crest Inspections and an ASHI Certified Inspector #249557. He holds a BA in Business Marketing and in the past, he chaired the marketing and public relations committees for a national home inspection organization. Locally, he is active in the North Puget Sound Board of Realtor’s and recently retired from the Mt. Erie Fire Department in Anacortes, WA. https://www.paccrestinspections.com

Published by OREP Insurance Services, LLC. Calif. License #0K99465

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