Where to Place Smoke Detectors
Last updated on February 26th, 2023 at 05:24 pm
Most people are not sure where to place smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detector. Hence you are not alone….
Generally, smoke detector placement should be done where there is vulnerability of fire and where you can hear the detector going off.
The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) recommends that smoke alarms should be placed in every floor of the home and in every sleeping area. At the same time, fires become deadly by the minute and therefore where to locate your smoke alarms matters as much as the type of the smoke alarm you are using.
NFPA standard 74 provides the guidelines on locations to install your smoke detector.
You can have the best fire alarm technology but if wrongly placed, it is not as good as it should be. Without a doubt, it will not serve the purpose!
Experts also recommend that smoke alarms should be installed at least 10 feet away from all cooking appliances! Cooking areas are more prone to having false alarms. You do not want your burning toaster to trigger the alarm.
The interconnection of alarms really helps for the simple reason that there are increased chances of you hearing an alarm sound irrespective of the location of the fire. Additionally, some smoke detectors have an inbuilt voice technology that lets you know where the fire started. For interconnected fire alarms, when one senses smoke, it triggers all the alarms to sound.
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How can you know whether your smoke alarm is interconnected?
That is pretty simple. If you press the test button of one smoke detector, all the smoke detectors should sound.
If only the pressed detector sounds, then you do not have interconnected smoke detectors and it is time you invested in one. We recommend you install the wireless smoke detectors. For a detailed review of top smoke alarms, click here.
The earlier you can hear the smoke alarm warning, the sooner you can escape safely from the dangers of fire.
Special Places to Consider NFPA Smoke Detector Placement
✒️ Stairway – at least one detector at the top
✒️ Laundry and shower places have high humidity – at least 10 ft
✒️ Heat or Air Conditioning Vents – at least 3 ft away
Fire experts recommend strongly that you avoid installing your smoke or carbon monoxide detectors at the corners of your home. At least install 5 inches from the corner due to air circulation. Contrary, air flow containing the smoke or harmful carbon monoxide gas may miss the corners!
Smoke Detector Placement |Conclusion
To sum it up and as a rule of thumb, install smoke detectors in each room. If you are worried about cost, there is a variety of cost effective solutions for you.
You may also be interested in the best place to position your carbon monoxide detector.
About The Author
James
Hello there and welcome! My name is James B. Bartlett. I am very passionate about fire safety at home. You will find a lot of well researched information on common questions as well as complete buyer guides for smoke and fire alarms here.
