Are you are selling your home or refinancing? You will need a Certificate of Compliance from the Fire Department that shows that your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors/alarms meet the requirements for a sale or transfer.
After you have set a date for the closing, contact the Grafton Fire Department to schedule an inspection of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors right away. Don't wait until the last minute, the inspection schedule fills up quickly.
- You will need to know when the home was built and whether or not there have been substantial changes made since then that would have required a building permit. The date of the latest building permit will determine the requirements that would need to be met for your property. See the Guide to Massachusetts Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Requirements (PDF).
- Determine the age of each detector. The manufacturer stamps the date on the front or back of the detector. If there is no date on the detector, it has expired and must be replaced.
- Smoke Detectors more than 10 years old must be replaced.
- Carbon Monoxide Detectors more than 7 years old must be replaced.
There will be a fee for the inspection. Payment can be made in the form of a banker's check or a realtor's check. The Fire Department accepts personal checks from the Realtors only.