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LOCATIONS TO AVOID FOR SMOKE ALARMS
For best performance, it is recommended you AVOID installing Smoke
Alarms in these areas:
Do not install this Smoke Alarm in a location where it
could be easily triggered when using your remote to
operate your TV, VCR, or other remote controlled
appliances.
• Where combustion particles are produced. Combustion particles form
when something burns. Areas to avoid include poorly ventilated kitchens,
garages, and furnace rooms. Keep units at least 20 feet (6 meters) from
the sources of combustion particles (stove, furnace, water heater, space
heater) if possible. In areas where a 20-foot (6-meter) distance is not
possible – in modular, mobile, or smaller homes, for example – it is
recommended the Smoke Alarm be placed as far from these fuel-burning
sources as possible. The placement recommendations are intended to
keep these Alarms at a reasonable distance from a fuel-burning source,
and thus reduce “unwanted” alarms. Unwanted alarms can occur if a
Smoke Alarm is placed directly next to a fuel-burning source. Ventilate
these areas as much as possible.
• In air streams near kitchens. Air currents can draw cooking smoke into the
sensing chamber of a Smoke Alarm near the kitchen.
• In very damp, humid or steamy areas, or directly near bathrooms with
showers. Keep units at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from showers,
saunas, dishwashers, etc.
• Where the temperatures are regularly below 40˚ F (4˚C) or above 100˚ F
(38˚C), including unheated buildings, outdoor rooms, porches, or unfin-
ished attics or basements.
•
In very dusty, dirty, or greasy areas. Do not install a Smoke Alarm
directly over the stove or range. Keep laundry room Smoke Alarms free
of dust or lint.
•
Near fresh air vents, ceiling fans, or in very drafty areas. Drafts can blow
smoke away from the unit, preventing it from reaching the sensing chamber.
• In insect infested areas. Insects can clog openings to the sensing cham-
ber and cause unwanted alarms.
• Less than 12 inches (305mm) away from fluorescent lights. Electrical
“noise” can interfere with the sensor.
• In “dead air” spaces. “Dead air” spaces may prevent smoke from reach-
ing the Smoke Alarm.
Avoiding Dead Air Spaces
“Dead air” spaces may prevent smoke from reaching the Smoke Alarm. To
avoid dead air spaces, follow the installation recommendations below.
On ceilings, install Smoke Alarms as close to the center of the ceiling as
possible. If this is not possible, install the Smoke Alarm at least 4 inches
(102 mm) from the wall or corner.
For wall mounting (if allowed by building codes), the top edge of Smoke
Alarms should be placed between 4 and 12 inches (102 and 305 mm) from
the wall/ceiling line, below typical “dead air” spaces.
On a peaked, gabled, or cathedral ceiling, install the first Smoke Alarm
within 3 feet (0.9 meters) of the peak of the ceiling, measured horizontally.
Additional Smoke Alarms may be required depending on the length, angle,
etc. of the ceiling's slope. Refer to NFPA 72 for details on requirements for
sloped or peaked ceilings.
5
AGENCY PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
NFPA 72 (National Fire Code)
Smoke Alarms shall be installed in each separate sleeping room, outside each
sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and on each addition-
al story of the family living unit, including basements and excluding crawl
spaces and unfinished attics.
In new construction, Alarms shall be so arranged that operation of any one
Alarm shall cause the operation of all Alarms within the dwelling.
Smoke Detection-Are More Smoke Alarms Desirable? The required num-
ber of Smoke Alarms might not provide reliable early warning protection for
those areas separated by a door from the areas protected by the required
Smoke Alarms. For this reason, it is recommended that the householder con-
sider the use of additional Smoke Alarms for those areas for increased protec-
tion. The additional areas include the basement, bedrooms, dining room, fur-
nace room, utility room, and hallways not protected by the required Smoke
Alarms. The installation of Smoke Alarms in kitchens, attics (finished or unfin-
ished), or garages is not normally recommended, as these locations occasion-
ally experience conditions that can result in improper operation.
California State Fire Marshal (CSFM)
Early warning detection is best achieved by the installation of fire detection
equipment in all rooms and areas of the household as follows: A Smoke Alarm
installed in each separate sleeping area (in the vicinity, but outside bedrooms),
and Heat or Smoke Alarms in the living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms,
kitchens, hallways, finished attics, furnace rooms, closets, utility and storage
rooms, basements, and attached garages.
INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS IN MOBILE HOMES & RVS
For minimum security install one Smoke Alarm as close to each sleeping area
as possible. For more security, put one unit in each room. Many older mobile
homes (especially those built before 1978) have little or no insulation. If your
mobile home is not well insulated, or if you are unsure of the amount of insu-
lation, it is important to install units on inside walls only. Smoke Alarms should
be installed where temperatures normally remain between 40˚F (4˚C) and 100˚F
(38˚C). WARNING: Test units used in RVs after the vehicle has been in
storage, before every trip, and once a week while in use. Failure to test
units used in RVs as described may remove your protection.
This equipment should be installed in accordance with NFPA (National Fire
Protection Association) 72 and
101. National Fire Protection Association, One
Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269-9101. Additional local building and
regulatory codes may apply in your area. Always check compliance require-
ments before beginning any installation.
ABOUT SMOKE ALARMS
Battery (DC) operated Smoke Alarms: Provide protection even when
electricity fails, provided the batteries are fresh and correctly installed. Units
are easy to install, and do not require professional installation.
AC powered Smoke Alarms: Can be interconnected so if one unit senses
smoke, all units alarm. They do not operate if electricity fails.
AC with battery (DC) back-up: will operate if electricity fails, provided the
batteries are fresh and correctly installed. AC and AC/DC units must be
installed by a qualified electrician.
Smoke Alarms for Solar or Wind Energy users and battery backup power
systems: AC powered Smoke Alarms should only be operated with true or
pure sine wave inverters. Operating this Smoke Alarm with most battery-pow-
ered UPS (uninterruptible power supply) products or square wave or “quasi
sine wave” inverters will damage the Alarm. If you are not sure about your
inverter or UPS type, please consult with the manufacturer to verify.
Smoke Alarms for the hearing impaired: Special purpose Smoke Alarms
should be installed for the hearing impaired. They include a visual alarm and
an audible alarm horn, and meet the requirements of the Americans With
Disabilities Act. Can be interconnected so if one unit senses smoke, all
units alarm.
RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS FOR SMOKE ALARMS
Installing Smoke Alarms in Single-Family Residences
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), recommends one Smoke
Alarm on every floor, in every sleeping area, and in every bedroom. In new
construction, the Smoke Alarms must be AC powered and interconnected.
See “Agency Placement Recommendations” for details. For additional
coverage, it is recommended that you install a Smoke Alarm in all rooms,
halls, storage areas, finished attics, and basements, where temperatures
normally remain between 40˚F (4˚C) and 100˚F (38˚C). Make sure no door or
other obstruction could keep smoke from reaching the Smoke Alarms.
More specifically, install Smoke Alarms:
• On every level of your home, including finished attics and basements.
• Inside every bedroom, especially if people sleep with doors closed.
• In the hall near every sleeping area. If your home has multiple sleeping
areas, install a unit in each.
• If a hall is over 40 feet (12 meters) long, install an alarm at each end.
• At the top of the first-to-second floor stairway, and at bottom of basement
stairway.
Specific requirements for Smoke Alarm installation vary from state to state
and from region to region. Check with your local Fire Department for current
requirements in your area.
It is recommended AC or AC/DC units be
interconnected for added protection.