Smoke Detector Tips
Smoke alarms save precious minutes — alerting families to danger before smoke and gases can overcome them. In a home fire, smoke detectors are your best protection.
Placement of smoke detectors:
⦁ Location. Consider which parts of the house need protecting, where a fire would be most dangerous and how many units are needed. Plan one for each floor or level.
⦁ Sleeping areas. Put a detector within 10 feet of each bedroom door, preferably in the hallway. In a hallway longer than 30 feet, install one at each end. A unit in each room provides maximum protection.
⦁ Living room. Keep the detector away from a fireplace or wood stove to avoid false alarms.
⦁ Hall and stairwell. Place a detector at the top of each stairwell and at each end of a long hall.
⦁ Kitchen (eating/dining area) – Keep detector away from cooking fumes.
⦁ Basement. Mount a detector on the ceiling/beam at the bottom of the stairs, away from the exhaust of a heating unit.
Installation:
⦁ Read the installation instructions that come with the detector.
⦁ Keep units 6 inches away from the dead air space near walls and corners.
⦁ If mounted on a wall, place unit 6-12 inches below the ceiling and away from a corner.
⦁ Do not place a detector closer than 3 feet from an air register that might re-circulate smoke.
⦁ Do not place a unit on an un-insulated exterior wall or ceiling.
⦁ Place smoke detectors at least 3 feet from ceiling fans.
Maintenance:
⦁ Check the alarm every 30 days. Push test button.
⦁ Replace batteries twice a year.
⦁ Clean the detector’s face and grill to remove dust or grease.
⦁ Keep spare batteries on hand.
⦁ Follow manufacturer’s instructions.
⦁ Replace expired smoke detectors with “10-year sealed” units.
Remember, from the time a fire starts, family members have less than 4 minutes to escape. Do not attempt to extinguish a fire unless it can be put out in a few seconds.
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