Selling Your Home

As of January 1, 2019 all stand-alone, battery powered smoke alarms are required to be  10 year sealed battery type to pass inspection.

Smoke Alarms
  • Smoke alarms shall be on every level, including the basement. Alarms shall be within ten feet of bedrooms.
  • The alarms should be mounted on the ceiling, but if an alarm has to be mounted on a wall, it must be 4 inches minimum and 12 inches maximum from the ceiling. Alarms must also be 4 inches from any corner, and a minimum of 3 feet from any air register.
  • Smoke alarms, including wired electric, must be replaced if over 10 years old.
  • Please be sure to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

  • On each level that has sleeping areas, and installed in the vicinity of the bedrooms.
  • They can be mounted on ceilings or walls with no height restrictions.
  • CO alarms must be replaced if over 5 years old.
  • Please be sure to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Fire Extinguishers


  • A portable fire extinguisher shall be installed in all one and two family dwellings upon a sale or change of tenancy.
  • Extinguisher size shall be a 5 lb 2A:10 BC rating.
  • The extinguisher shall be charged, operable and MOUNTED in plain view, within 10ft. of the kitchen and not mounted behind doors, blocked by furniture, on a shelf or in a cabinet.

extinguishers

Fees


  • The fee for the fire safety inspection is $75.00.
  • A re-inspection will be needed if any of the above mandates fail and an additional $40.00 fee will be added to each additional re-inspection.
  • Payment can be made, following the inspection, by check payable to the Borough of Madison.

FAQ


  • If you have a Fire Alarm System, you will be required to know how to operate it. The alarm must be placed on “test” through the alarm company before we can test the alarm. You must know the codes, how to silence and reset the alarm. If the system is no longer being monitored, the alarm must still “sound” and you will still need to know the codes to silence and reset.
  • If wired interconnected alarms need to be replaced due to age, they shall be replaced with wired alarms. Battery alarms are not acceptable replacements for wired alarms.
  • Do not mount alarms in unfinished attic spaces, stairwells, top of basement stairs or in the kitchen as they often result in alarms due to cooking.
  • Inspection certificate is valid for 6 months OR when there is a change of tenancy.