Question:
Where should I place smoke detectors in my home?
Answer: Where you place smoke detectors
depends on the size and layout of your home, and where people sleep in your
home. Since the primary job of a smoke detector is to awaken sleeping persons
and warn them of urgent danger, put a detector in each sleeping room and place
additional detector(s) in the hallway or area by the bedrooms within five feet
of the door to these rooms. In a house where the bedrooms are upstairs, one
additional detector should be near the top of the stairs to the bedroom area.
Don't put detectors within six inches of where walls and ceilings meet, or near
heating and cooling ducts. Detectors located in these areas may not receive the
flow of smoke required to activate the alarm.
In homes with more than one sleeping area on the same level or on different
levels, a smoke detector should be installed to protect each separate sleeping
area. For example, in a one-floor plan with only one sleeping area, the smoke
detectors should be placed as shown.
In homes with more than one sleeping area on the same level or on different
levels (top), smoke detectors should be installed to protect each separate
sleeping area and in each sleeping room.
Smoke detectors don't need much attention, regular testing and prompt
replacement of batteries is all that is needed. Batteries will last
approximately one year. If your battery-powered detector begins to emit its
low-power warning sound (usually short beeps), remove the weak battery and
replace it immediately with a fresh one. Have a new battery on hand always.
However, if you neglect these requirements, your detector won't do its job if a
fire starts.
Feel free to contact the Beach City VFD at 281-573-1196 for assistance with
proper placement of smoke detectors.
General Placement Locations:
