Smoke Detector Recommendations

[Brad Babiak]

I recently attended a landlord training put on by the city of Cincinnati.  I found out the proper code for smoke alarms is inside each bedroom, within 5 feet on the outside of each bedroom, kitchen, laundry room, and one on each floor.  I am now in need for 50 alarms.

I am looking for an alarm that fits the following criteria: 1) 10 year battery (so tenants don't take it down when beeps for low battery, 2) Photoelectronic and not Ionization.  They said ionization are known for being touchy and going off when there is not really smoke or a fire.  3) Semi cost effective.  Wondering if there is a good brand that comes in a 5 or 10 pack.  4) Not hard wired for easy installation.  5) Hush function.  6) Semi tamper proof so tenants cannot easily deactivate.

I know this may be a lot but wanted to seek any advice or best practices.  
  

[Justin Wilkey]

I'll be honest, I read your post and smugly went to look up the Cincinnati code to prove that you heard the direction incorrectly. Every bedroom?!? Seemed like overkill.... then I found it and you heard the guidance correctly. 

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/fire/fire-prevention/smoke-alarms/

For clarity, it looks like the law is "all rental properties have photoelectric smoke alarms installed outside the structure’s sleeping quarters" but the guidance included "inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home". 

Last year I made sure all my buildings met the law, including the photoelectric sensor as most of mine were ionization, and installed them in each unit by the bedrooms and then in the common areas. I did a CO/Smoke version in the basement where the boiler is. 

Here is what I used with the 10 year battery. 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-10-Year-Sealed-Battery-Smoke-Detector-with-Photoelectric-Sensor-21027434/203525026

I think they offer a slight discount for multi-pack order but they are basically $20 each. I like them because they are impossible to disconnect and I shouldn't need to worry about replacing batteries for a long time. I did get one complaint that it was going off and wouldn't turn off so the tenant disarmed it... which is permanent. I have a feeling he was smoking and learned that hard way you can't just pop the battery out.