Installing Smoke Detectors in Canadian Homes: What You Need to Know
Welcome back to the channel!
Today, we’re going to talk about smoke detectors—specifically how they’re installed and interconnected in residential homes here in Canada.
Smoke Detector Requirements in Canada
In all new homes in Canada, the electrical code requires:
- A smoke detector in each bedroom
- A smoke detector on each level of the home
- A detector in each major area
This means you’ll often have a lot of smoke detectors installed throughout the house.
The Type We Use
We typically install BRK or Kidde smoke detectors. These are:
- Hardwired units that run off 120V
- Equipped with a 9V battery backup
- Designed to be interconnected, so when one goes off, they all do
Wiring Setup
Each smoke detector comes with:
- A white wire (neutral)
- A black wire (hot)
- A red interconnect wire
Here’s how it works:
- We loop the wire from box to box throughout the house.
- The smoke detectors are placed on the lighting circuit.
- This is important because if someone shuts off the breaker during an alarm, they’ll also lose lighting—making it harder to ignore a detector that’s going off.
- In each box, we connect:
- All whites together
- All blacks together
- All red interconnects together
When one smoke detector is triggered, the interconnect signal sets off every unit in the system.
Installation Demonstration
Here’s a step-by-step overview of how we install a detector:
- Connect the whip from the detector to the wires in the electrical box:
- White to white
- Black to black
- Red to red (interconnect line)
- Twist on wire nuts clockwise to secure the connections.
- Tuck the wires neatly into the box, leaving the whip hanging out.
- Install the mounting plate onto the box:
- Loosen the screws
- Insert and rotate the plate clockwise
- Plug in the detector:
- Align the connector pins
- Insert it into the base
- Mount the smoke detector by turning it counter-clockwise onto the plate.
- Leave the 9V battery tab intact and cover the unit with a dust cover until the end of the job.
- This prevents nuisance alarms during construction.
- The battery will be activated only after power is turned on at final inspection.
How Many Can You Install?
You can connect up to 12 smoke detectors on a single circuit, which is usually enough to cover a typical residential home.
We usually install:
- One in each bedroom
- One on each floor
- One in common areas
When it comes to safety, you can never have too many.
Final Thoughts
That wraps up our overview of how we wire and install smoke detectors in new Canadian homes.
🔗 Check the video description below for links to the smoke detector models we recommend.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe!
Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you in the next video.
