Is it permissible to replace existing permanently hardwired individual smoke alarms or electrically interconnected smoke alarms with battery powered smoke alarms?
No. When smoke alarms are being replaced, the installation must not reduce the level of detection required by the Building Code in effect at the time of construction of the dwelling unit, or by municipal by-laws in effect before the Fire Code adopted this requirement. This requirement is contained in Sentence 6.3.3.5.(1) of the Fire Code. In other words, existing permanently wired individual smoke alarms or electrically interconnected smoke alarm installations must be maintained to provide the same level of protection as originally required. Any replacement smoke alarms must be of a type comparable to the original (or better).
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