Where Should You Place Smoke Detectors?

Smoke detectors are essential for your family's safety, yet many homeowners are uncertain how many they need. If you have an older home, your existing smoke detectors may not meet modern fire safety standards.

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Whatever your home's age, it's important to make sure your system is up to date. This guide explains where to put smoke detectors and how to maximize their chance of sounding during a house fire.

How many smoke alarms you need in your home depends on its size and how many bedrooms it has. Following the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code requirements can help you determine the correct number of fire alarms for your home's layout.

As a rule of thumb, you should install at least one fire alarm on each floor of your house and a smoke detector in each bedroom. You should also install at least one smoke detector outside the bedrooms. Larger homes or homes with unusual layouts may require more alarms — a professional fire safety inspector can help you determine how many alarms to install (and where to put them) if you're unsure.

The National Fire Protection Agency recommends installing hardwired, interconnected smoke alarms for increased safety. Research shows interconnected fire alarms are around 23% more likely to sound during a fire than independent units. These systems work best when you purchase each unit from the same manufacturer.

Installing both ionization and photoelectric smoke detectors can make your home safer. Ionization alarms detect flaming fires more effectively, while photoelectric units are better at detecting smoldering fires. Alternatively, you can purchase dual-purpose ionization-photoelectric detectors.

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Where to Put Smoke Detectors

The NFPA recommends installing smoke detectors in the following locations:

• On every floor, including basements
• No closer than 10 feet from your oven or other cooking appliances
• In the living room or stairwell (or both) on floors without bedrooms
• On the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs leading down to your basement
• Inside every bedroom and outside sleeping spaces

It's also essential to understand where to put smoke detectors in each room to maximize the chance of it sounding during a fire. Smoke rises, so you should install the detectors on the ceiling or within 12 inches of the ceiling. If you have a pitched ceiling, install the alarm within three feet of the highest point but no closer than four inches.

Drafts can prevent smoke alarms from detecting smoke. Therefore, you should install them as far as possible from doors, windows and HVAC ducts.