REAC NSPIRE Inspections are now including verification of smoke alarms that battery only smoke alarms meet standards. REAC Inspections, we have learned, are now including in their scope of inspection, verification of smoke alarms that battery only smoke alarms meet the standards outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.
From what has been reported, this has been added to the smoke detector standard in the REAC Inspection software, even though it has not been officially added as part of the NSPIRE standards.
As a refresher, the standard that was outlined in the 2023 legislation, states the following requirement for Multifamily Section 8/PRAC and Public Housing properties. The law’s requirements include provisions mandating that:
Housing providers make sure that a qualifying smoke alarm is installed in accordance with applicable codes and standards published by the International Code Council or the National Fire Protection Association and the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association Standard 72, or any successor standard, in each level and in or near each sleeping area in any dwelling unit, including in basements, but excepting crawl spaces and unfinished attics, and in each common area in a project containing such a dwelling.
Such smoke alarms are hardwired or use 10-year non-rechargeable, non-replaceable primary batteries and are sealed, tamper-resistant, contain silencing means, and provide notification for persons with hearing loss.
Changes to HUD REAC Inspection Software for Smoke Alarms
The exact language stated in the NSPIRE inspection software is as follows: “A required smoke alarm is [found to be] not hardwired or a 10-year non-rechargeable, sealed, tamper-resistant, battery-power smoke alarm device.”
In short, owners and managers of Multifamily HUD Properties and Public Housing should update any 9-volt battery only smoke alarms as soon as possible. Property staff escorting NSPIRE inspections should also be prepared to demonstrate for the REAC inspector that smoke alarms are either hard wired or 10-year non-rechargeable, sealed, tamper-resistant, battery-power smoke alarm.
It should be noted that this law does not apply to Tax Credit, HOME, and other funding programs. However, smoke alarms that are solely 9-volt battery operated are highly unreliable and should be updated to more modern fire safety devices as a best practice.
