Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
I was recently emailed a question about smoke alarm locations; exactly where do they need to be installed? In the bedrooms? Outside of the bedrooms? Which levels? There are two ways to answer this question: what meets code, and what's safe.
If we're talking about what meets code, it gets complicated. Smoke alarms weren't required 100 years ago. But if work was done to a home that triggered the requirement for smoke alarms, maybe smoke alarms are required. As a home inspector, I don't make any attempt to figure out code requirements. Instead, I focus on what's safe. I base these recommendations on the requirements for new homes. For everything I'm going to talk about, we'll discuss new construction.
I'll break this down by national codes, Minnesota requirements, and we'll touch on some specifics for Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
National Codes
I was recently emailed a question about smoke alarm locations; exactly where do they need to be installed? In the bedrooms? Outside of the bedrooms? Which levels? There are two ways to answer this question: what meets code, and what's safe.
If we're talking about what meets code, it gets complicated. Smoke alarms weren't required 100 years ago. But if work was done to a home that triggered the requirement for smoke alarms, maybe smoke alarms are required. As a home inspector, I don't make any attempt to figure out code requirements. Instead, I focus on what's safe. I base these recommendations on the requirements for new homes. For everything I'm going to talk about, we'll discuss new construction.
I'll break this down by national codes, Minnesota requirements, and we'll touch on some specifics for Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
National Codes
