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Figures 1, 2, 3, & 4 are reprinted with permission from NFPA72, National FireAlarm Code®,
Copyright ©2002, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy,MA 02169. This reprinted
material is not the complete and official position of the National Fire Protection Association on
the referenced subject which is represented only by the standard in its entirety. National Fire
Alarm Code® and NFPA72® are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection
Association, Inc., Quincy, MA02169.
Figure 4: A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE LOCATED ON EACH
LEVEL IN ADDITION TO EACH BEDROOM.
Are More Smoke Alarms Desirable? The required number 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, the use of additional smoke
alarms for those areas for increased protection is recommended. 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 (fin-
ished or unfinished), or garages is not normally recommended,
because these locations occasionally experience conditions that can
result in improper operation.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION
NFPA 72, 2010 Edition, Chapter 29, Section 29.8.1.4(5)(b)
states: “Smoke alarms installed in one- and two-family dwellings
shall not remain in service longer than 10 years from the date of
manufacture.” Smoke alarms should be replaced for the
following reasons:
Dust, dirt, and other environmental contaminants can affect your
smoke alarm over a prolonged period.
Fast changing industry consensus standards and codes on all
smoke alarms make it advisable to periodically upgrade your
devices to maximize life safety.
Assurance that your smoke alarm needs are kept abreast with the
constantly improving electronic technology.
Smoke alarms are recognized as one of the lowest cost ways to
protect dwelling inhabitants against the danger of fire(s). It makes
good common sense to periodically replace and update your
smoke alarm that contributes so much to life safety.
MOUNTING LOCATION
This smoke alarm can be mounted on a ceiling or wall with equal
efficiency in either location.
Ceiling location - smoke alarm should be mounted as close as
possible to the center of a hallway or room.
Wall location - locate the top of the smoke alarm not more than 12
inches from the ceiling.
Figure 2: A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE LOCATED BETWEEN THE
SLEEPING AREA AND THE REST OF THE DWELLING UNIT AS
WELL AS IN EACH BEDROOM.
In dwelling units with more than one bedroom area or with
bedrooms on more than one floor, more than one smoke alarm is
required, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 1: A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE LOCATED ON EVERY
LEVEL OF DWELLING UNIT, INCLUDING BASEMENT, WITHIN
EACH SLEEPING ROOM AND OUTSIDE SLEEPING AREAS.
Where to Locate the Required Smoke Alarms. The major threat
from fire in a dwelling unit occurs at night when everyone is asleep.
Persons in sleeping areas can be threatened by fires in the remainder
of the unit; therefore, smoke alarms are best located in each bedroom
and between the bedroom areas and the rest of the unit as shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 3: IN DWELLING UNITS WITH MORE THAN ONE
SLEEPING AREA, A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO
PROTECT EACH SLEEPING AREA IN ADDITION TO SMOKE
ALARMS REQUIRED IN BEDROOMS.
In addition to smoke alarms outside of the sleeping areas and in
each bedroom, NFPA 72 requires the installation of a smoke alarm on
each additional level of the dwelling unit, including the basement.
These installations are shown in Figure 4. The living area smoke
alarm should be installed in the living room or near the stairway to the
upper lever, or in both locations. The basement smoke alarm should
be installed in close proximity to the stairway leading to the floor
above. Where installed on an open-joisted ceiling, the smoke alarm
should be placed on the bottom of the joists. The smoke alarm should
be positioned relative to the stairway so as to intercept smoke coming
from a fire in the basement before the smoke enters the stairway.
Figure 4
550-0093
Page 9-3
29.5.1.1 Where required by applicable laws, codes or standards for a
specific type of occupancy, approved single and multiple-station smoke
alarms shall be installed as follows:
1) In all sleeping rooms and guest rooms
2) Outside of each separate dwelling unit sleeping area, within 6.4m
(21ft) of any door to a sleeping room, the distance measured along a
path of travel
3) On every level of a dwelling unit, including basements
4) On every level of a residential board and care occupancy (small
facility), including basements and excluding crawl spaces and
unfinished attics
5) In the living area(s) of a guest suite
6) In the living area(s) of a residential board and care occupancy
(small facility)
29.5.1.2 Where the area addressed in 29.5.1.1(2) is separated from
the adjacent living areas by a door, a smoke alarm shall be installed in
the area between the door and the sleeping room, and additional
alarms shall be installed on the living area side of the door as
specified by 29.5.1.1 and 29.5.1.3.
29.5.1.3 In addition to the requirements of 29.5.1.1(1) through
29.5.1.1(3), where the interior floor area for a given level of a dwelling
unit, excluding garage areas, is greater than 93m
2
(1000ft
2)
, smoke
alarms shall be installed per 29.5.1.3.1 and 29.5.1.3.2.
29.5.1.3.1 All points on the ceiling shall have a smoke alarm within a
distance of 9.1m (30ft) travel distance or shall have an equivalent of
one smoke alarm per 46.5m
2
(500ft
2
) is evaluated by dividing the total
interior square footage of floor area per level by 46.5m
2
(500ft
2
).
29.5.1.3.2 Where dwelling units include great rooms or vaulted/
cathedral ceilings extending over multiple floors, smoke alarms located
on the upper floor that are intended to protect the aforementioned area
shall be permitted to be considered as part of the lower floor(s)
protection scheme used to meet the requirements of 29.5.1.3.1.
The installation of additional alarms of smoke, heat or CO type
should result in a higher degree of protection. Adding alarms to rooms
that are normally closed off from the required alarms increases the
escape time because the fire does not need to build to the higher level
necessary to force smoke out of the closed room to the required
alarms. As a consequence, it is recommended that the householder
consider the installation of additional fire protection devices. However,
it should be understood that NFPA 72 does not require additional
smoke alarms over and above those called for in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4
where required smoke alarms are shown.