The owners, or managers of all residential rental dwelling units existing as of August 13, 2018, that do not have wired smoke alarm systems that comply with applicable West Virginia Code provisions, shall be required to immediately install and maintain battery operated smoke detectors in those units as follows:
(A) On the ceiling or wall outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms. Smoke detectors shall be mounted on the ceiling at least four inches from a wall or on a wall with the top of the detector not less than four inches nor more than 12 inches below the ceiling. A smoke detector installed in a stair well shall be located as to ensure that smoke rising in the stair well cannot be prevented from reaching the detector by an intervening door or obstruction. All smoke detectors shall be installed in a workmanlike manner and shall be mounted so as to be supported by the provided hardware or other suitable anchor assemblies.
(B) In each room used for sleeping purposes.
(C) In each story within a dwelling unit, including basements and cellars but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.
(D) Penalty.
(1) It shall be illegal for any person to:
(a) Fail to comply with the requirements of § 1501.11; or
(b) To deactivate any smoke alarm required by § 1501.11.
(2) Violators of any of the prohibitions in subsections (D)(1)(a) and (b) hereof shall be subject to a minimum penalty of $300 and a maximum penalty of $500 for each such offense. In structures having more than one rental residential dwelling unit, each such unit that is in violation of this section shall be a separate violation.
(Ord. 2041, passed 8-13-18)