6
6. Recommended Locations for Smoke Alarms
Refer to your local state and federal laws or contact your local fire brigade to determine the minimum
installation requirements (Figure 6.1A and Figure 6.1B ).
Recommended Locations
•
In every room where someone sleeps with the door closed. The closed door may prevent an alarm located
outside from waking the sleeper.
•
In the immediate area of bedrooms and the exit path from all sleeping areas (
Figure 6.1A
).
•
In stairways, as stairways act like chimneys for smoke and heat.
•
In any room where large electrical appliances are operated (e.g., portable heaters or humidifiers).
•
If a hallway or room is more than 9.1m long put alarms at both ends.
•
For maximum household protection see
Figure 6.1C
ordinary residential construction.
Things to Consider:
•
Smoke from a fire will rise to the ceiling and spread horizontally.
•
Mounting the smoke alarm in the centre of the ceiling places it closest to all points in the room.
•
When mounting an alarm on the ceiling, locate it at a minimum of 30cm from the side wall (
Figure 6. 2A
).
•
For sloped, peaked or cathedral ceilings the alarm should be placed between 500mm and 1500mm from the
highest point of the ceiling (
Figure 6.2A
and
Figure 6.2B
).
•
Smoke alarms in rooms with ceiling slopes greater than 1m in 8m horizontally, should be located on the high
side of the room (
Figure 6. 2A
).
For Wall Mounting:
When mounting the alarm on the wall, use an interior wall with the top edge of the alarm at a minimum of 10cm and
a maximum of 30cm below the ceiling (
Figure 6.2A
).
