East Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 157 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 157-4
Location requirements
Operative Text
A. The following location requirements shall apply for up to 10 units: (1) At least one smoke detector, hard-wired or battery-operated, shall be installed to protect each sleeping area. To assure protection for any sleeping area which might require more than one smoke detector because of arrangement or dimension or for any sleeping area exceeding 800 square feet, there shall be a minimum of one smoke detector for each 800 square feet or any part thereof. (2) Stairways, passageways, corridors, hallways, basements, storage areas, laundry rooms and/or any other nonhabitable areas not considered part of the dwelling unit shall have smoke detectors, hard-wired or battery-operated, installed in these areas. There shall be a minimum of one smoke detector for each 800 square feet or any part thereof. B. The following location requirements shall apply for 11 or more units: (1) At least one hard-wired smoke detector shall be installed to protect each sleeping area and interconnected to an electric fire alarm control panel box with a battery backup system which, upon actuation of any detector, shall be capable of actuating horns or bells installed in an area that would alert all occupants of each unit. To assure protection for any sleeping area which might require more than one smoke detector because of arrangement or dimension or for any sleeping area exceeding 800 square feet, there shall be a minimum of one smoke detector for each 800 square feet or any part thereof. (2) Stairways, passageways, corridors, hallways, basements, storage areas, laundry rooms and/or any other nonhabitable areas not considered part of the dwelling unit and furnace rooms, janitor's closets, elevator shafts, dumbwaiter shafts, utility closets or attics shall have hard-wired smoke or heat detectors installed in these areas and interconnected to an electric fire alarm control panel box with a battery backup system which, upon actuation of any detector, shall be capable of actuating horns or bells installed in an area that would alert all occupants of each unit. C. Smoke and/or heat detectors shall be installed in the above-mentioned areas in accordance with the following guidelines: (1) In passageways, corridors, hallways, etc., smoke detectors shall be installed a maximum of 30 feet apart, with the first detector being not more than 15 feet from the end wall. (2) In areas such as furnace or boiler rooms, incinerator rooms, elevator shafts, dumbwaiter shafts, utility or janitor closets there shall be a minimum of at least one heat detector installed in each such unit. (3) To assure protection for storage or other areas which might require more than one smoke or heat detector due to arrangement or dimension for any area, except those mentioned in Subsection C(1) above, there shall be a minimum of one smoke detector installed for each 800 square feet of open area or part thereof, and where required, there shall be a minimum of one heat detector installed for each 625 square feet of open area or part thereof. (4) At least one smoke detector shall be installed in each stairway leading to an occupied area in such a manner as to assure that rising smoke is not obstructed in reaching the detector and that rising smoke cannot effectively bypass such detector. (5) Whenever possible, smoke and/or heat detectors should be centrally located on the ceilings to assure maximum coverage.
East Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 157 § 157-4 establishes specific placement rules for smoke and heat detectors in residential rental properties, with different standards depending on whether a building has up to 10 units or 11 or more units. Smaller buildings may use hard-wired or battery-operated smoke detectors, while larger buildings require hard-wired detectors interconnected to a central fire alarm control panel with battery backup capable of alerting all occupants. Coverage ratios, spacing limits, and placement guidelines for sleeping areas, common spaces, and utility areas are all defined within the provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under East Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 157 § 157-4, compliant operators ensure that smoke detectors are placed in every sleeping area at the required density—at least one per 800 square feet—and that all non-habitable common areas such as hallways, stairways, basements, and laundry rooms are also covered. For buildings with 11 or more units, operators maintain hard-wired, interconnected systems tied to a central fire alarm control panel with battery backup, and install heat detectors in furnace rooms, elevator shafts, and similar utility spaces. Corridor detectors are spaced no more than 30 feet apart, with the first unit no more than 15 feet from an end wall, and ceiling-centered placement is used wherever practicable.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
East Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 157 § 157-4 establishes a tenant's right to live in a building equipped with properly located and appropriately interconnected smoke and heat detection systems. If detectors appear to be missing, improperly placed, or non-functional—particularly in sleeping areas or common spaces—tenants may document the conditions and report concerns to the local code enforcement or housing authority in East Rochester. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how a violation of § 157-4 might be raised in a housing complaint or used as part of a broader habitability concern.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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