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ALARM LIMITATIONS
LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS
Alarms reduce deaths resulting from home fires
worldwide. However smoke alarms can only
work if they are properly located, installed and
maintained, and if smoke reaches the alarms.
• Smoke alarms may not waken all individuals.
Make sure you create an escape plan and
you practice fire drills with all members of
the family.
• Smoke alarms cannot work without power.
If they are powered by batteries, the smoke
alarms cannot work if the batteries are
missing, dead or disconnected. If they are
wired, the smoke alarms cannot work during
a long power outage and once the backup
battery is dead. Nest Protect will warn you
in advance when batteries are running low
so that you can replace them.
• Smoke will not be able to reach smoke sensor
while the dust cover is in place. The dust cover
must be removed.
• Smoke alarms cannot detect fires if the smoke
does not reach the alarms. For example, if a
door is closed, smoke may not reach the smoke
alarm. This is why you should have a smoke
alarm in each bedroom and in the hallways as
bedroom doors may be closed at night.
• Smoke alarms may not be heard. Although
the smoke alarm comes with a loud horn of
85 decibels, it may not be heard if: 1) people
have consumed alcohol or drugs, 2) the
alarm is drowned by noise from stereo, TV,
traffic, air conditioner or other appliances,
3) residents are hearing impaired or have high
frequency hearing loss associated with aging.
Special smoke alarms should be installed for
those who are hearing impaired.
SAFETY
