There are situations where a smoke alarm may not be effective to
protect against fire as stated in the NFPA Standard 72. For instance:
a) smoking in bed
b) leaving children home alone
c) cleaning with flammable liquids, such as gasoline
9. NRC INFORMATION
Ionization type smoke alarms use a very small amount of a
radioactive element in the sensing chamber to enable detection of
visible and invisible combustion products. The radioactive element
is safely contained in the chamber and requires no adjustments or
maintenance. This smoke alarm meets or exceeds all government
standards. It is manufactured and distributed under license from
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
10. NFPA REQUIRED PROTECTION
The National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 72 provides the
following information:
Smoke Detection - Where required by applicable laws, codes, or
standards for the specified occupancy, approved single- and multi-
ple-station smoke alarms shall be installed as follows: (1) In all
sleeping rooms Exception: Smoke alarms shall not be required in
sleeping rooms in existing one- and two-family dwelling units. (2)
Outside of each separate sleeping area, in immediate vicinity of
the sleeping rooms. (3) On each level of the dwelling unit, includ-
ing basements Exception: In existing one- and two-family dwelling
units, approved smoke alarms powered by batteries are permitted.
Smoke Detection - 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, it is
recommended that the householder consider the use of additional
smoke alarms for those areas for increased protection. The addi-
tional areas include the basement, bedrooms, dining room, fur-
nace room, utility room, and hallways not protected by the
required smoke alarms. The installation of the smoke alarms in
the kitchen, attic (finished or unfinished), or garage is normally not
recommended, as these locations occasionally experience condi-
tions that can result in improper operation.
