Massachusetts mandates that every home have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. The state requires that every home be inspected by the local fire department prior to the sale of the home to assure compliance.
If you as the home seller don’t get a smoke/CO detector certificate of compliance issued by your local fire department, you won’t be able to have your closing!
Inspection by fire department
The fire department will check to make sure you have the right detectors for your home and will test them to make sure they work properly. Massachusetts has imposed one set of rules for smoke detectors and a different set of rules for CO detectors. Your home must comply with both the rules pertaining to CO detectors and those for smoke detectors in order to pass the mandatory inspection.
The fire department will charge a fee for the inspection. This fee is typically paid by the home seller. The seller also usually covers the expense of installing any new detectors in the home that may be needed. Note that in some short sales and REO (post-foreclosure) sales, there may be an attempt to impose these expenses on the home buyer.
House numbers must be visible
As an aside, many fire departments use the CO/smoke detector inspection as the opportunity to enforce a state law (Massachusetts General Law: Chapter 148, Section 59) requiring your home to have clearly visible house numbers. So make sure your home has address numbers clearly visible from the street. If your home lacks visible numbers, no certificate of compliance!
CO detector requirements
The CO detector requirements aim to save lives. Regardless of whether you are selling or not, you should have a carbon monoxide detector on each finished living level of your home. There must also be a CO detector within ten feet of all bedrooms.
Follow the hotlink in the image above or at right to download a guide that explains the carbon monoxide detector rules in Massachusetts.
MA smoke detector rules
The Massachusetts smoke detector rules distinguish between single-family and two-family homes built before January 1, 1975 and homes built after that date. Note that the review of the smoke detector rules below has been simplified for brevity and that certain municipal fire departments have adopted their own requirements, so please check with your local fire department before scheduling your smoke detector inspection.
For single family and two family homes built before January 1, 1975
Smoke detectors must exist on every level of the premises that is habitable and also in the basement, even if the basement lacks habitable living area.
The detectors must be located on the ceiling at the base of every stairway leading to a higher floor and also outside each separate sleeping area.
(In addition to the above locations, two-family homes must have detectors in all common areas that are shared by all both dwellings.)
All smoke detectors must be less than ten years old. Units older than ten years old must be replaced, even if they still function properly.
All detectors must use photoelectric detection technology. (Detectors may also employ ionization detection technology, but cannot use ionization technology solely.) Detectors may also be “dual” in that they detect the presence of carbon monoxide in addition to smoke.
Detectors can be hardwired or battery operated, or a mix of both. Battery operated detectors must have sealed, ten-year batteries that cannot be removed or recharged.
All detectors must have a “hush” feature to stop nuisance false-alarms.
Download the pamphlet
The pamphlet below produced by the MA Department of Fire Services that does a good job explaining the rules for single-family and two-family homes built prior to Jan 1 1975:
Follow the hotlink in the image above or at right to download the pamphlet.
For homes built after January 1, 1975
The rules are very different for homes built after January 1, 1975 because all new homes were required after that date by then-applicable building codes to have hardwired detectors. The difficulty is that the building code requirements for hardwired detectors kept changing and evolving through the decades, so there is no one set of rules that apply to all homes built after January 1, 1975.
Follow the hotlink in the image above or at right to access a summary of the smoke detector rules governing homes built after January 1, 1975.
If you have questions
Speak with your local fire department if you have questions or concerns about your smoke detectors’ placement, functioning or technologies. It is better to be safe than sorry!
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You get more with Warren Reynolds than you do with other top real estate agents. You’ll find in Warren rare knowledge and experience dedicated to helping you achieve all the value that home brings. Warren has a law degree and 20+ years of home selling success in Massachusetts. — talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"We have now bought and sold five homes. By far, you have been the best realtor we have worked with. Your professionalism and knowledge are so valuable to your clients. You made this process so easy. "-CB
Make better decisions
and feel in control.
Did you know you can materially improve your home selling success by choosing your marketing agent and brokerage brand wisely? It’s true! A marketing agent with a sterling reputation, backed by a strong brokerage brand, will do wonders for the reception your home gets upon entry to market. Call Warren today! 508-561-6259
"As first time homebuyers we were fortunate to work with Warren. He was a great asset and sounding board. He always gave solid advice. Warren played a pivotal role in helping us negotiate with a difficult seller. We truly benefitted from having Warren in our corner and so will you." -JK
Maximize your home selling success.
Not only is Warren highly skilled and dedicated to protecting your best interests, he will be highly responsive to your needs! He CARES about his clients and is always, always there for them. Why not give it a try? Contact Warren now and see how well he takes care of you! – talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"I had many, many questions which Warren was always more than willing to answer with a never ending patience. Throughout the process Warren looked out for my best interest. I may have purchased a garden style condo but Warren treated me like I was purchasing a million dollar estate!" -MP
Get the attention you deserve.
Warren is a very creative real estate practitioner and he uses that creativity in ways that provide important advantages to clients. Creatively runs in Warren’s family! His uncle was Harnett T. Kane, an internationally-recognized investigative journalist and New York Times best-selling author of thirty books about the American South. Experience Warren’s refreshing difference today! 508-561-6259
"Your creative approach to all aspects of my move helped make the transition easy and pleasurable. You were recommended to me by a friend who appreciated your integrity, expertise, friendliness and conscientiousness - qualities that I have witnessed in abundance as we've worked together." -KB
Get creative with Warren.
Warren is a highly dedicated professional in all his real estate dealings. That means he will continue to serve you well, even when others would compromise on their commitments. Warren’s ultimate goals in business are better transactions and greater client satisfaction. Talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"As first time homebuyers we were fortunate to work with Warren. He was a great asset and sounding board. He always gave solid advice. Warren played a pivotal role in helping us negotiate with a difficult seller. We truly benefitted from having Warren in our corner and so will you." -JK
Maximize your home selling success.
All real estate agents are legally and ethically bound to be fiduciaries acting in their client’s best interests. His name stands for integrity and he takes his fiduciary duties to you very seriously. He’ll steadfastly put your interests first throughout your home purchase or sale – talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"Warren was always there for us. Throughout the process, Warren kept on top of all our concerns. Warren worked for us, and looked out for our best interest. He is a very professional and caring person." - BP
Feel safe and well taken care of.
Warren is a highly dedicated professional in all his real estate dealings. That means he will continue to serve you well, even when others would compromise on their commitments. Warren’s ultimate goals in business are better transactions and greater client satisfaction. His devotion to excellence can demonstrably improve your home buying and selling decision-making and, consequently, your experience of home ownership. Warren constantly stays current on the local housing inventory. And he is conversant with the broader market trends that affect home sales statewide link to Market Updates. Warren knows that the market knowledge he works so hard to maintain and his high standards of real estate practice help him achieve for you the lasting, true value of home ownership. Talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"Warren was the finest real estate agent we've ever worked with. This was evident to us in comparison to quite a few realtors we attempted to utilize, as they were not very helpful, understanding or willing to work with us based on our preferences." -SM
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional,
wait until you hire an amateur.” Red Adair
Did you know you can materially improve your home selling success by choosing your marketing agent and brokerage brand wisely? It’s true! A marketing agent with a sterling reputation, backed by a strong brokerage brand, will do wonders for the reception your home gets upon entry to market. Warren is known in the local brokerage community as a dependable, highly skilled professional who is a straight-shooter. Other agents like working with Warren because they know they can trust him to be a reliable partner in any transaction. And the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand stands for sound decisions and extraordinary strength and stability. The “Forever Brand” brokerage created by Warren Buffet sets the standard for the real estate industry by focusing not on selling more homes, but rather on selling homes for more!Call Warren today! 508-561-6259
"As first time homebuyers we were fortunate to work with Warren. He was a great asset and sounding board. He always gave solid advice. Warren played a pivotal role in helping us negotiate with a difficult seller. We truly benefitted from having Warren in our corner and so will you." -JK
Maximize your home selling success.
Not only is Warren highly skilled and dedicated to protecting your best interests, he will be highly responsive to your needs! He CARES about his clients and is always, always there for them. In person, by phone, email or text, whenever you need him, you’ll get a prompt response from Warren! Warren’s clients rave about the high degree of consideration and attention they get from him. Why not give it a try? Contact Warren now and see how well he takes care of you! – talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"I had many, many questions which Warren was always more than willing to answer with a never ending patience. Throughout the process Warren looked out for my best interest. I may have purchased a garden style condo but Warren treated me like I was purchasing a million dollar estate!" -MP
Get the attention you deserve.
Warren is a very creative real estate practitioner and he uses that creativity in ways that provide important advantages to clients. Creatively runs in Warren’s family! His uncle was Harnett T. Kane, an internationally-recognized investigative journalist and New York Times best-selling author of thirty books about the American South. Warren employs his own creativity by producing compelling marketing, both in print and especially online! His www.02038.com, is a highly effective website promoting the wonderful lifestyle afforded by the Town of Franklin, MA. And his Market Updates content on Massachusetts real estate trends gives home buyers and sellers alike the context they need to make more informed decisions about their housing investments. Warren frequently uses his abilities to devise resourceful solutions to the diverse challenges that threaten to complicate most real estate transactions. Warren has made real estate his career and won many sales awards in his 20+ years in brokerage, including the highly prestigious Chairman’s Circle Gold Award and the elite Centurion Award. Experience Warren’s refreshing difference today! 508-561-6259
"Your creative approach to all aspects of my move helped make the transition easy and pleasurable. You were recommended to me by a friend who appreciated your integrity, expertise, friendliness and conscientiousness - qualities that I have witnessed in abundance as we've worked together." -KB
Get creative with Warren.
You get more with Warren Reynolds than you do with other top real estate agents. You’ll find in Warren rare knowledge and experience dedicated to helping you achieve all the value that home brings. Warren has a law degree and 20+ years of home selling success in Massachusetts. His legal knowledge and decades-long experience in putting — and keeping — real estate sales together give him a better handle on the legal, practical and emotional dynamics of the real estate transaction. Warren uses these skills to empower clients to achieve more! He often anticipates and resolves problems BEFORE they can become serious impediments. Enjoy the sense of trust, security and control that comes from having a highly skilled expert at your side — talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"We have now bought and sold five homes. By far, you have been the best realtor we have worked with. Your professionalism and knowledge are so valuable to your clients. You made this process so easy. "-CB
Make better decisions and feel in control.
All real estate agents are legally and ethically bound to be fiduciaries acting in their client’s best interests. But many agents give their fiduciary duties short shrift in their quest for the quickest and easiest path to a closing. Not Warren Reynolds! His name stands for integrity and he takes his fiduciary duties to you very seriously. He’ll steadfastly put your interests first throughout your home purchase or sale. This may make Warren work longer and harder for you than most other agents would. But ultimately, Warren’s diligence and attention to detail is his commitment to an experience that transcends the sale. He wants you to have the confidence and peace of mind that comes with having a true fiduciary protecting you. Discover the difference of working with an agent who does not view you as just another opportunity for a commission – talk with Warren today! 508-561-6259
"Warren was always there for us. Throughout the process, Warren kept on top of all our concerns. Warren worked for us, and looked out for our best interest. He is a very professional and caring person." - BP
Feel safe and well taken care of.