hard-wired smoke detectors

[arocha]

HELP!! I have an old house and just had a electrician do all new mold wiring because that's all I could afford being unemployed and all. I have smoke detectors in each room and carbon monoxide detector in hallway. Well now the city inspector said I have to have the detectors hardwired also!!!
I can't afford the electrician to come back out to do all that. Can I go the route of installing those plug in detectors?

[Coldjensens]

What you can do depends on your local c ode and sometimes the local inspector. In some places, you can use communicating wireless with 10 year batteries. If you have an argument fight it hard. IME hard wired systems are expensive inflexible and horrid. After fighting endlessly with the inspector over them and spending a ton of money, most of ours is usually disconnected. They just beep and/or alarm constantly. No one pays them any attention due to the endless false alarms. We put some battery powered ones here and there instead.

[MrWillys]

Ask to read the code section that pertains to hardwiring. Usually, in an older home battery units are acceptable. Unless you pulled a building permit for major reconstruction, or the local jurisdiction has amended the nationwide code he could be mistaken. This information may even be found online without going to the building department. Better yet, ask a local realtor, because these updates usually take place during a sale.