Where You Install Your Smoke Detectors Really Matters
Having battery-operated smoke detectors placed throughout the home is an important component of fire safety, but where they are located is also important for them to be most effective.
Luckily, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has some tips to take the guesswork out of installing smoke detectors in your home. Here’s what you need to know.
Where to install smoke detectors in the house
Whether you’re re-evaluating your home’s security features or installing smoke detectors for the first time, here’s where to install them according to NFPA :
By room and level
You will need smoke detectors on every level of your home, including the basement.
- Bedrooms : In addition to placing a smoke detector near every sleeping area in your home, install one in every bedroom as well.
- Living room, office, or family room : At least one smoke detector is required either in the room, near the stairs to the upper level, or both.
- Kitchen : To prevent a fire alarm from going off every time you set fire to toast, place it at least 10 feet away from kitchen appliances.
- Basement : Place the smoke detector on the ceiling at the foot of the stairs leading to the next level of the house.
General Accommodation Tips
Smoke rises, so smoke detectors are most effective when mounted on the ceiling or high on walls, within 12 inches of the ceiling. But also keep in mind that you shouldn’t place them too close to exterior doors, ducts, windows, or any other drafty area, as this can reduce the effectiveness of the alarms.
Ideally, all smoke detectors in your home should be wired or wirelessly linked. This means that if smoke is detected in one part of the house, the alarm will go off throughout the house, at all levels.
Would you like more information about installing smoke detectors? The NFPA website has additional resources to help you keep your home safe.