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Smoke Alarms
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Smoke Alarms

In recent years, three-fifths of home fire fatalities have occurred in homes without smoke alarms, and half of all fatal home fires occur at night.

Inexpensive household smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death. They sound an early warning in the event of fire, waking people before they are overcome by smoke and giving them time to escape.

After prevention, smoke alarms are your best line of defense against fire and can cut your risk of dying in a home fire nearly in half.

BUT A SMOKE ALARM CAN’T SAVE YOUR LIFE IF IT ISN’T WORKING.

A lot of household smoke alarms are battery powered, and studies show that dead, disconnected, or missing batteries are the principle cause of non-working smoke alarms.


Smoke Detector Tips:
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Test your smoke alarm’s batteries, following the manufacturer’s instructions, once a month and replace any battery too weak to sound the alarm.

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Most smoke alarms “chirp” to alert you when their battery power is low. When you hear the warning, replace the batteries. Don’t disconnect the unit.

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Replace smoke alarm batteries routinely on the same day each year. NFPA suggests the last Sunday in October – the day you roll the clocks back from Daylight Savings to Standard Time each fall. Change your clocks, change your batteries.

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Too often people disable smoke alarms by removing their batteries for other uses. Never “borrow” batteries from a smoke alarm.

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Smoke alarms are not recommended for use in kitchens, bathrooms or garages – where cooking fumes, steam, or exhaust can set off the alarm when there is no fire. Many people simply disconnect poorly placed smoke alarms in an effert to prevent these nuisance alarms. If your home is plagued by false alarms, don’t disable your smoke alarm – relocate it away from the kitchen or bathroom or install an exhaust fan. Cleaning your smoke alarm regularly, according to manufacturer’s instructions, may also help.

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Smoke alarms have a life expectancy of about 10 years. Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.


Smoke Alarm Questions and Answers

Which smoke alarm should I buy?
Buy only smoke alarms that carry the label of an independent testing laboratory.

Several types of smoke alarms are available. Some run on batteries and others on household current. Some detect smoke using an “ionization” sensor; others use a “photoelectric” detection system. All approved smoke alarms, regardless of type, will offer adequate protection provided they are installed and maintained properly.

How many smoke alarms do I need?
Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. On floors without bedrooms, smoke alarms should be installed in or near living areas, such as dens, living rooms or family rooms.

Be sure everyone sleeping in your home can hear your smoke alarms. If any residents have hearing impairments or sleep with bedroom doors closed, install additional smoke alarms inside sleeping areas as well. There are special smoke alarms that flash a light in addition to sounding an audible alarm.

For extra protection, NFPA suggests installing smoke alarms in dining rooms, furnace rooms, utility rooms and hallways.

How do I install smoke alarms?
Most battery-powered smoke alarms can be installed using only a drill and a screwdriver, by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Smoke alarms can also be hard-wired into a buildings electrical system. A qualified electrician should install hard-wired smoke alarms.

Where do I install my smoke alarms?
Mount smoke alarms on the ceiling. The smoke alarm should be attached at least 12 inches from the nearest wall. In a room with a pitched ceiling, mount the smoke alarm at or near the ceiling’s highest point.

Don’t install a smoke alarm too near a window, door, or forced air register where drafts could interfere with the smoke alarms operation.
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