Apartment buildings that were constructed prior to the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 receive different treatment regarding compliance and enforcement of fire alarm system requirements and ADA legislations.  Apartments built after ADA took effect, however, must be fully compliant in terms of accessibility to public areas.  Any apartment building identified as an ADA apartment building, however, must meet special regulations regarding the type of fire alarm system installed and notification devices utilized.

Once apartment units are identified as housing the hearing impaired or any handicapped or disabled person, code requirements call for high candela strobes to be placed in all bed rooms, bathrooms and common areas.  Strobes must be activated from the local smoke detectors serving the apartment and the main building’s fire alarm systems. 

ADA apartment strobes cannot be wired to corridor notification devices as they have different sequences in operation, thus they require a dedicated 24VDC synchronized circuit from a dedicated addressable control module or a fire alarm distribution panel.  This ensures that the strobes will function under many programmable conditions such as corridor or apartment smoke detection, manual pull stations, elevator recall, water flow alarm, apartment carbon monoxide and other devices reporting to the base building fire alarm panel.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) mandates that smoke detectors be placed in all bedrooms and within 15 feet of bedroom doors in common areas, while carbon monoxide detectors are required within 15 feet of all bedroom doors but are not required inside sleeping rooms. Hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors must be equipped with dry contact relays for monitoring from the base building system.

HRSS Provides Compliant Fire Alarm Systems to ADA Apartments
High Rise Security Systems offers fire alarm system design and UL listed equipment from the most recognized names in fire safety.  We provide ongoing system maintenance, support, testing, inspections and monitoring 24/7/365.  When you have questions about requirements in your ADA apartment building or any commercial property, contact the fire and safety system specialists at High Rise Security Systems.

HRSS is a recognized leader in fire and safety system design in and around Chicago, IL.  We provide ongoing service and support to maintain reliable and code compliant fire alarm systems.  Contact us to learn more about the fire and safety requirements of your commercial property.