Fire alarms are essential for keeping your home and family safe, yet proper smoke detector placement is necessary for an early warning of fire. The ideal locations for smoke detecting devices depend on the building’s layout and size. This article will help you choose the best places to install smoke detectors in your home.
Proper Smoke Detector Placement is Near the Ceilings
Smoke rises, so to ensure the earliest possible alert, smoke detectors should be installed high on the walls or on the ceilings. Air currents from open windows, fans, and HVAC vents can interfere with the smoke detector’s sensors. When choosing locations for your smoke detectors, place them away from vents, windows and doors, and drafty areas of the home.
Install Smoke Detectors in Bedrooms
People are at the highest risk of injury or death from fire when they are resting or asleep. Each bedroom in your home should have a smoke detector. Also, install the devices in the hallways outside the sleeping areas so that family members are alerted quickly whether a fire starts in their bedroom or outside of it.
At Least One Detector Per Floor
Each level of the home should have at least one smoke detector, including the attic and the basement. If your house has an attached garage, install a fire alarm there as well.
Smoke Detector Placement for Safety
Generally, a smoke detector in every bedroom and on every floor of the home is considered sufficient. For added safety, install detectors in places where the risk of fire is higher.
Install devices near the furnace and near the fireplace. An alarm in the laundry room is helpful in case of a clothes dryer fire. Cooking fires are a common cause of house fires. In the kitchen, place the smoke detector approximately 10 feet away from any cooking appliance to reduce the likelihood of false alarms.
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