Adding smoke detector to detached garage from house

[strutaeng]

Hello, I'm building an addition to my house(bedrooms and family room.) My detached garage was about 27' from my house, but I'm closing the gap considerably with the addition. The garage is at an angle to the house, but the closest corner is now about 4' from the new house corner.

I'm connecting smoke detectors (hardwired) into the main house for the new addition bedrooms.

I was wondering if it is a good idea to put in smoke detectors into garage also? The garage has a subpanel that I put in 2 years ago. Would I just run the signal cable from the hardwired detectors and use the garage subpanel to power detectors?

Thanks.

 

[oledude1952]

What I found when I wired my attached garage SD with the rest of the other 6 SD's that I wired 120 volt/ 3 wire interconnected in our house, was nuisance trips from the garage SD.

Anytime I ran a torch or stirred up a smell in the garage the SD would alarm all 7 alarms, as it was supposed to. The MS. was not pleased with me most times nor the 3 cats and dog.

If I had it to do again today, I may consider something like this unit.... This way I would know it is JUST the garage in alarm while having one SD unit in the garage and one in the house room close, by within 50 ft of the garage . JMO

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVO7C2/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

 

[TRWham]

Smoke detectors are not a good idea in a garage because, as described above, there are too many opportunities for false alarms. Usually heat alarms are used to provide fire detection in a garage.

 

[strutaeng]

Smoke detectors are not a good idea in a garage because, as described above, there are too many opportunities for false alarms. Usually heat alarms are used to provide fire detection in a garage.

Ok, thanks for the information! So a heat alarm such as this one seems like it will work:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-H...5-Degree-with-Battery-Backup-HD135F/100594387

The wiring seems to be just the smoke detector?

 

[rlitman]

Ok, thanks for the information! So a heat alarm such as this one seems like it will work:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-H...5-Degree-with-Battery-Backup-HD135F/100594387

The wiring seems to be just the smoke detector?

135 degrees is too low for a detector placed right under a roof.

I'd consider a Rate of Rise style heat detector for your garage instead.

 

[pattenp]

Does the garage now being 4' from the house cause any fire code issues? Garages here closer than 7' have to be drywalled to fire code requirements.

 

[strutaeng]

Does the garage now being 4' from the house cause any fire code issues? Garages here closer than 7' have to be drywalled to fire code requirements.

No.

Although I'm using 5/8" Type X gypsum board for walls and ceilings throughout for the new build.

Not due to fire requirements, just for sound and impact resistance. I have kids, you know what I mean?

The garage is partially drywalled with 5/8" Type X. I'll use the remaining drywall for the house on the part of the garage.

 

[Stuart in MN]

135 degrees is too low for a detector placed right under a roof.

I'd consider a Rate of Rise style heat detector for your garage instead.

Agreed. That's what I have in my garage.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Check out Nest wirelessly linked detectors.

 

[justsam]

Since your garage is still detached, and you have a sub panel there, I do not believe you can have the smoke detector and it's communication wire powered from the house. Please check with others here far more knowledgeable.

As suggested, I have a Nest smoke detector, wirelessly connected for both my guest house and the detached garage. Works well.

 

[ambenz]

I opened this older thread while researching my desire to add a fire alarm to my detached garage 30 feet south of my home.
Loving all the suggestions and advice...like the NEST but that is way too expensive for what I want to spend to do a start up but I am still considering it since my old 720p Swann video system in the house has went on the fritz. But that is a whole different topic....

Some of my facts in determining a cheaper solution than the nest....
The garage is heated to 55F-60F, 24/7 during the cooler seasons with an open flame Procom ventless 30K btu furnace since 2010 and it works well for my application.

View media item 79299
It is the main reason a keep flammables in a metal cabinet on the other side of the garage and want a fire alarm, better late than never.
Seeing Geddy's Garage thread that documents his destroyed garage is another good reason to get an alarm.

I however would like to do it on the cheap, less than $100.
I like the idea of a wireless comm unit to the house as I don't have a dedicated underground comm wire from the house.
I like the idea of wireless...like the first alert...

...BUT, the ventless furnace is the unknown as far as the sensor throwing false alarms so that is why I also like the suggestion of a rate of rise heat detector.
I want to mention, the 30 amp hard wired service I do have running underground is also supporting video off of a Swann video server communication via addressable IP so any wired comm thru the power wiring might interfere with my video cameras.

View media item 95812
....and why I like a wireless option.
So it would be nice to find something like the First alert with a wireless rate of rise heat detector....any new recommendations (with IP address links to your product please!) for such a product I can but install for under $100 range????
What are you doing to catch the first sign of fire in the garage???

 

[dylanmitchell]

Rate of rise heat alarm will have fewer false alarms. I have a smoke and CO detector by the door to the garage but my garage is attached. Smoke and CO detectors in the garage would be going off all the time.

 

[teamextreme]

I used a rate of rise detector in my detached garage and connected to another dedicated CO/smoke detector in the house, not connected to any of the others, to act as a remote annunciator. I used the old existing 3-wire #12 feed to the garage that was abandoned when I put in the 100A subpanel.

 

[walta]

You need to think about what the real purpose of a smoke detector is?

Hint it is not to save the structure. It is to alert you to the danger in time for you to escape.

Put an alarm in the house near the garage door to protect people. My guess is a household alarm in the garage is going to have a lot of false alarms.

I am sure you could find a lot of expensive commercial system but they are likely out of your price range.

You could use a thermal switch that would ring a bell in the house if the garage ever got over 140°

https://www.grainger.com/product/6U..._kwcid=AL!2966!3!57005225157!!!g!104635268037!

Walta