Smoke Detectors
Learn MoreSmoke detectors save lives
They are the easiest, most cost-efficient way to alert your family of a developing fire. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by 50%, and that’s important, because a home fire starts every 83 seconds! The faster you know about a fire, the faster you can start moving your family outside. Before you choose your smoke alarms, consider how many you need, where you should install them, when to replace them and what unique features different smoke alarms have.
Where To Place
- Buy an approved smoke detector. Look for the UL Label.
- Install a smoke detector inside each bedroom and in the main corridor outside of each bedroom area.
- Install a minimum of one smoke detector on each additional level of the house and one above any stairwell.
- Keep smoke detectors away from drafts created by fans or air ducts and away from the kitchen stove and bathroom.
- Test each smoke detector weekly (test button) and once a month using a smoke source.
- Replace the batteries once a year.
Source: National Fire Protection Association – First Alert Home Fire Detection Facts
When to Replace
- Test them weekly.
- Replace the batteries regularly.
- Replace the smoke alarm before it is 10 years old.
Where To Install
Key
Required to meet NFPA recommendations
Recommended for additional protection
Smoke alarms with silence features recommended for additional protection
Interconnected AC or AC/DC smoke alarms
Existing Multistory Residence
Existing Single Story, Apartments or Mobile Home
New Construction or Major Remodel Multistory Residence
Construction or Major Remodel
