I'm at the age where I'll pay an extra buck or two to avoid an annoyance like this. Older folks are more at risk from a fall than from a fire.
Then a lot of devices that need batteries changed every year or so, e.g. a thermostat, are not clearly marked on how to access the battery.
I recommend "overdoing" it, make no mistake. It was my profession for many years.
The law does not prescribe an existing structure to be brought up to new construction code, that's all I was repeating from the one who posted before my comment.
I went on an 'emergency service call at 3AM one morning. The customer insisted one of our smoke detectors was beeping, well I tried explaining over the phone our monitored smokes don't "beep". They insisted I come out anyway. They had been looking for the source for hours.
I went out, looked around the house for about 5 minutes and found a pager on top of the fridge beeping. I tossed the guy his "bad smoke detector" and told him I'd be right back. I came in with an invoice for the normal service call plus an extra $120 for a late-night call that was non-emergency. He was livid I was charging him about $250 to find his beeping pager. I was not sympathetic. He woke me out of bed, and I
*knew* it had nothing to do with his fire system (I had called the monitoring center for any signals).I don't remember if I got a check that night or not, but I definitely turned in the invoice to the office the next day.
I had another late-night call where the keypad *was* beeping. I tried to tell him how to silence it over the phone, but he wouldn't hear of it. Again he insisted I come out. When I got there a screwdriver was plunged straight through the keypad. He silenced it alright. I charged him for the keypad and the service call.
Don't think I was always a dick though... Most of the time there was a legitimate reason for the late-night call. For those I fixed what I could, silenced any nuisance noise, and apologized for any inconvenience, no charge. I arranged for a lengthy service call the next day to check the entire system and replace any parts I didn't have or would have taken all night to fix.
It probably doesn't have to be brought up to current code for new construction, but many places do have requirements specifically requiring smoke detectors to obtain a new certificate of occupancy. So, I think it's somewhere in the middle. Say you go to sell or rent out a house. Like you say, there isn't a reqt to bring most of it up to current code. They aren't going to make you change the kitchen wiring, as long as it was compliant when built. But they may have laws that specifiy the minimum with regard to smoke detectors. That's how it works here. To get the CO there is a law that says you have to have the minimum with regard to smoke detectors. The fact that the house didn't have them when it was built 50 years ago doesn't matter.
Everyplace differs, that's why the best answer is always consult the AHJ.
What does one need a C of O for? Serious question.
When there is a change of occupancy for a residence, ie the property is sold or a new tenanat moves in. Some places may not require them, but many do. It's required in NJ. They send out an inspector(s) to check basic safety and health related issues. For example, if you have a well, a water test is required. They check for smoke detectors, missing guard rails on porches, stairs, obviously leaking plumbing, etc.
In most (if not all) Texas jurisdictions it's for commercial buildings where the public will be entering and also multi-tenant residential buildings.
For existing residential single family homes or duplexes a simple home inspection is all that it needed when the real estate changes ownership. And that is only when financing is involved. For cash deals, inspections are optional (but highly recommended of course).
New construction homes have to be inspected multiple times; electrical, plumbing, structural, concrete slabs, etc... before the sheetrock covers everything up. Then a final inspection by the city/county for the final approval when the house is almost ready to go to market.
Here is the summary of the code in Dallas:
WHEN DO I NEED A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY (CO)? The Dallas Development Code requires that ?Except for single family and duplex uses, a person shall not use or change the use of a building, a portion of a building, or land without obtaining a certificate of occupancy from the building official?.
? A new CO is required for the following: ? First use of land or a building. ? A change of use of land or a building. ? A change of tenant on an existing CO. ? Any change of floor area of an existing use.
Even on cash deals? Here in Houston the title company and banks require it, but not the government.
Yes, even cash deals. Rentals too. New tenant, you need a new CO.
Strange state, NJ. I have some relatives there. They allow medical marijuana, but its apparently illegal to sell it from a dispensary (from what I hear).
Plus they don't seem to acknowledge the 2nd Amendment. Sure its legal to have a gun in your home, but there is nowhere to buy them! I'm pretty sure they are a "no issue" state for concealed carry too.
Is it still true you can't pump your own gas?
Not so strange, just infested with libs who've run it for emough of the time, ie control of the Semate and Assembly forever.... The occasional Christie can only stem the tide, not turn it.
IDK about the marijuana thing. I know Christie was having some ruckus about approving the dispensaries, or something, but really haven't followed it.
Plenty of gun stores. I think Walmart sells them too. I know they sell ammo. There are a few problems though. One is that it's relatively easy to buy a shotgun or rifle, just need the federal firearms ID. But you can't buy or possess an "assault rifle". The Dems passed that restriction here decades ago, so even though the federal ban is gone, they are still illegal in NJ. Every once in awhile they catch some poor SOB that's driving through the state, just got here, whatever and he winds up screwed because his rifle has the wrong stock. Go figure.
And for a pistol, you need a permit for each one that you buy. You have to apply at the local police. They start the investigation, including running you buy the FBI. That takes months. Last time I did it, it took close to a year. Then the permit is good for a limited period, maybe 90 days or so. You can get more than one at a time though.
Speaking of getting screwed, they regularly arrest other poor SOBs at JFK airport. Typical scenario is someone is coming from a state that allows pistols, connecting at JFK to go on to somewhere else where similarly the pistol would not be a problem. So, they walk up to American Airlines in Dallas, declare the pistol that's in their luggage. No problem, they put it on the plane with baggage. They arrive at JFK and for whatever reason, can't connect to their other flight. So, they have to stay overnight. They go retrieve their luggage, including the pistol. They head off to a hotel, probably right at the airport. Next day, they walk up to the AA check in counter and declare the pistol, just like they did in Dallas. Except this time, AA calls the cops and they are busted, big time. JFK is withing NYC and without a permit, it's a mandatory jail sentence. I think with a lot of high power legal help, probably from the right law firm, they can often get it reduced to some lesser charge. But they are still winding up at Rikers Island for a day or two on the initial arrest, which must be a lovely experience, paying a lot in legal fees, fines, having a record, etc. But heh, you gotta stop criminals, right?
I'm pretty sure they
Correct, basically. You need a special permit, signed off on by a judge and have to show a need to carry. So, unless you can make a compelling case, for the average joe, forget about it.
Yes, only one of two states. The other is Oregon, unless it recently changed there.
My hunch is that in your friend's case back then, the wiring to the original smoke detector that had gone bad was not working in the first place. If the system is wired correctly, putting in a new detector to replace the "bad one" should just be a matter of unplugging the old one and plugging in the new one (preferably same brand etc). That should work if the system is wired correctly.
When I bought and took over a triplex with a hard-wired 120 volt interconnected smoke alarm system, one of the detectors "would not work" -- meaning that it would not set off the rest of the smoke detectors when it went off. It turned out that the former owner had worked on the system and did not have it wired correctly. I had a lot of rehab done on the property after I bought it, and a friend and I fixed the wiring in the interconnected alarm system so that all of the detectors worked correctly.
I am also in New Jersey and some towns have codes that exceed the statewide code -- at least they do for rental properties. I am not sure if those individual towns that have the higher standard also apply those standards to owner-occupied homes when the property is sold etc.
For example, for rental properties, some towns require a smoke detector INSIDE each bedroom as well as outside of bedrooms (within about 10 feet of the bedroom, I think).
That's correct regarding cash deals for residential properties. But, for rentals, not every town requires a CO for every tenant change. Some do and some don't. Some require an inspection every year even if there are no tenant changes; some just require them at every tenant change; and some require both -- every year AND every tenant change (ridiculous).
Strange town -- Houston. I have relatives there (plus I live in New Jersey). I heard that Houston has very few zoning laws and allows oil wells next to homes etc.
Yes, it's true that we are not forced to pump our own gas like it is in almost every other state -- that's my way of putting it. You are correct that we (in New Jersey) are not allowed to pump our own gas, but I think of that as not being forced to pump our own gas. I always think it is weird when I drive to Pennsylvania on a freezing cold or rainy day and not only have to pay more per gallon for the gas there, but I have to get outside of my car and pump the gas myself.
I never heard of any code that says that. I don't think the NEC says that. But, maybe it is a local code where you are located. Where is it that you know of that has that code? -- just curious; not being judgmental.
G. Morgan posted for all of us...
Yup, catch 22. I think there is now one for the entire state.
You can buy them but not carry them IIRC. CC permits are "may issue" so they don't.
I'm in PA & my permit is not valid in any surrounding state. A story from 5-
6 months ago is a single mom with a PA permit drove over to NJ and subject to a traffic stop. IDK if she declared the gun or not but the PD slapped her in jail and the prosecutor made a big deal of it. IDR what the disposition of the case was but they were talking jail time at one point. Made a criminal out of a unblemished record single mom. Meanwhile they roam free in Newark...Yup.
No, the wiring was fine - but the brand and style originally installed no longer existed, and no other brand was wired the same way. We just gave up and installed battery-op units - back then there were not wireless communincating systems available so they were "stand-alone"
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