According to NFPA 72, a household fire alarm system is required which of the following regarding smoke detection circuits?

According to NFPA 72, a household fire alarm system is required which of the following regarding smoke detection circuits?

• A. Smoke detection circuits must be locked in
• B. Smoke detection circuits shall not be required to lock in
• C. Smoke detection circuits must be monitored by a separate panel
• D. Smoke detectors must be hardwired

Answer: (B)

In residential fire alarm systems, smoke detection circuits are not required to be locked in. The code focuses on proper initiation of alarms and reliable signaling while allowing the system to be reset and returned to normal after an event. Locking a detection circuit in an alarm state would make re-occupancy and reset awkward or impossible, which NFPA 72 does not mandate. Instead, these circuits are designed to be supervised for faults and to permit normal re-arming after the cause of the alarm is addressed. The other statements aren’t required by typical household installations: detectors may be hardwired or battery-powered, and monitoring can be done on the same panel rather than a separate panel.

In residential fire alarm systems, smoke detection circuits are not required to be locked in. The code focuses on proper initiation of alarms and reliable signaling while allowing the system to be reset and returned to normal after an event. Locking a detection circuit in an alarm state would make re-occupancy and reset awkward or impossible, which NFPA 72 does not mandate. Instead, these circuits are designed to be supervised for faults and to permit normal re-arming after the cause of the alarm is addressed. The other statements aren’t required by typical household installations: detectors may be hardwired or battery-powered, and monitoring can be done on the same panel rather than a separate panel.