diff --git a/nixio/datatype.py b/nixio/datatype.py
index f057c00e..daec3bbd 100644
--- a/nixio/datatype.py
+++ b/nixio/datatype.py
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ class DataType(object):
     String = np.unicode_
     Bool = np.bool_
 
+    # type groups
+    IntTypes = (Int8, Int16, Int32, Int64, UInt8, UInt16, UInt32, UInt64)
+    FloatTypes = (Float, Double)
+
     @classmethod
     def get_dtype(cls, value):
         if isinstance(value, BOOLS):
@@ -44,13 +48,4 @@ def get_dtype(cls, value):
 
     @classmethod
     def is_numeric_dtype(cls, dtype):
-        return (dtype == cls.Int8 or
-                dtype == cls.Int16 or
-                dtype == cls.Int32 or
-                dtype == cls.Int64 or
-                dtype == cls.UInt8 or
-                dtype == cls.UInt16 or
-                dtype == cls.UInt32 or
-                dtype == cls.UInt64 or
-                dtype == cls.Float or
-                dtype == cls.Double)
+        return dtype in cls.IntTypes + cls.FloatTypes
diff --git a/nixio/property.py b/nixio/property.py
index bf18729a..cd9edf52 100644
--- a/nixio/property.py
+++ b/nixio/property.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def compatible(self, value):
               DataType.get_dtype(value) == DataType.Bool):
             return True
         elif (self == self.Float and
-              DataType.get_dtype(value) == DataType.Float):
+              DataType.get_dtype(value) == DataType.Double):
             return True
         elif self == self.Int and DataType.get_dtype(value) == DataType.Int64:
             return True
@@ -77,10 +77,9 @@ def get_odml_type(cls, dtype):
         :param dtype: nix DataType
         :return: OdmlType
         """
-
-        if dtype == DataType.Float:
+        if dtype in DataType.FloatTypes:
             return cls.Float
-        elif dtype == DataType.Int64:
+        elif dtype in DataType.IntTypes:
             return cls.Int
         elif dtype == DataType.String:
             return cls.String