Why Smoke Detector Placements Are Crucial

You would find that smoke detectors are installed in almost every building, whether it is a domestic household or even commercialareas like factories or malls, all across the US. That is because, as stated by the National Fire Protection Association, smoke alarms and smoke detectors play a very crucial role in saving lives.

There are 2 things the NFPA says are important, testing smoke detectors over time to check if they’re still functional, and having a fire escape plan. At workplaces, schools, and universities it is quite common to have fire drills to practice escape plans in the event of any fire breakout in the future. So why don’t we have that discussion in our homes? And the better question for homeowners is if they know where to install smoke detectors. Because it makes all the difference.

Facts for Your Knowledge

Here are some facts that everyone should be aware of, homeowners and commercial places alike, if in any case there is a fire breakout.

• Installing smoke detectors on every level of a home even if it is the basement or the attic, or even the garage, and in every room, especially those that are utilized for sleeping is absolutely crucial.
• Closed doors can slow down the spread of fire and smoke – which means it can help contain it.
• Wired smoke detectors and smoke alarms are much better than battery-operated ones. That is because when one alarm is triggered, they all are. In the case of battery-operated ones, each alarm works individually which is not as effective.
• A bigger home obviously means more smoke detectors need to be installed around the premises for extra safety.
• You should test your smoke detectors frequently to make sure they are still functional.
• There are 2 types of smoke detectors: ionization which can pick up on fast-burning, flaming fires, and photoelectric smoke detectors which can pick up on smoldering fires. But it is recommended that homeowners invest in Dual-Sensor smoke detectors that combine the function of both types.
• Smoke detectors and smoke alarms on average have a lifespan of 10 years, after which they should most definitely be replaced.

What to Know About Smoke Detector Placement

The NFPA provides guidelines for homeowners to follow through when it comes to placing smoke detectors. Having smoke detectors installed in your homes is of course a necessity but knowing where to place them is also important otherwise they aren’t as effective as they should be. When placing smoke detectors in your homes, keep the following factors in mind.

• When purchasing smoke detectors and smoke alarms, make sure they have a laboratory label on them – preferably of those that are well-known.
• Installing smoke detectors in each bedroom is of course a necessity, and even outside.
• Basements and attics are part of the household. So should you have one, it is necessary to install smoke detectors there. Some of these smoke detectors can pick up on gas leaks like carbon monoxide, and these are usually found in these two parts of the home, so all the more reason to install them in these places – and the garage too!
• Other than bedrooms, they should definitely be installed in the kitchen – approximately 10 feet away from cooking appliances so as to minimize false alarms.
• Smoke detectors should also be placed on the stairwell and in living rooms.
• You would find that smoke detectors are almost always installed on ceilings. In the case where the walls are already pretty high, placing them on the ceiling could be ineffective. Therefore, placing them high up on walls is a much better solution – at least 12 inches away from the ceiling. Then again that also depends on the height of the ceiling so best to refer to a professional for a consultation.

What You Should Be Wary Of

Of course, just like installing any device in your home, smoke detectors also have some precedence which means there are certain things homeowners should be wary of when it comes to the installation and placement of smoke detectors.

Firstly, never place a smoke detector or a smoke alarms near a door or window, or any duct where there might be interference because of a draft. These would definitely trigger a ton of unnecessary false alarms along with proving to be quite ineffective. And in the same way, it is also advised to never paint over these devices.

We mentioned above that wired smoke detectors are better than their battery variants. That is because they are interconnected and one alarm triggers all. But here’s what you should be careful of. When installing wired smoke detectors, they should ideally be from the same manufacturer in the off chance that two different brands are not compatible with each other.

Conclusion

We hope this article was able to give you an insight into all-things smoke detectors. It is not usual for homeowners to be aware of this much information pertaining to smoke detectors, but given that these are a crucial part of a household, it is good to be informed about these devices. The more you know, the better you can plan your safety procedures for the people within the household, and keep your home safe from any potential hazard before it gets out of control.