You should use both battery-powered and direct-wired 120-volt AC-powered
smoke alarms. Since A SMOKE ALARM WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT
POWER, having alarms that will work from two different power sources can
give you extra protection in case of a dead battery or an AC power failure.
Using a smoke alarm in a smoky area like a kitchen, or in a high humidity
area near a shower, can cause false alarms. DO NOT REMOVE YOUR BAT-
TERY TO QUIET THE ALARM. DO NOT TAKE THE ALARM DOWN. DO
NOT SHUT OFF THE POWER TO THE ALARM. IF YOU HAVE A FALSE
ALARM, TRY WAVING A TOWEL NEAR THE ALARM TO CLEAR THE
SENSING CHAMBER. A SMOKE ALARM WILL NOT HELP PROTECT YOU
IF IT IS NOT POWERED, OR THE UNIT IS REMOVED. An alarm with a
FALSE ALARM CONTROL feature should be used (where allowed by state
and local codes) to minimize these nuisance alarms.
A SMOKE ALARM MAY NOT ALWAYS WARN YOU ABOUT FIRES CAUSED
BY CARELESSNESS OR SAFETY HAZARDS SUCH AS SMOKING IN BED,
VIOLENT EXPLOSIONS, ESCAPING GAS, IMPROPER STORAGE OF
FLAMMABLE MATERIALS, OVERLOADED ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS,
NATURAL CAUSES SUCH AS LIGHTNING, CHILDREN PLAYING WITH
MATCHES AND ARSON. Fire prevention is your best safeguard.
Installing smoke alarms may make you eligible for lower insurance rates, but
SMOKE ALARMS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR INSURANCE. Homeown-
ers and renters alike should continue to insure their lives and properties.
WHERE YOU SHOULD INSTALL YOUR
SMOKE ALARMS
The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Standard 74, Section 2-1
provides information regarding the smoke detection equipment required within the
family unit.
Section 2-1.1.1 reads as follows:
“Smoke detectors shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the
immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and on each additional story of the family liv-
ing unit including basements and excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics.
The provisions of 2-1.1.1 represent the minimum number of detectors required by
this standard. It is recommended that the householder consider the use of addi-
tional smoke or heat detectors for increased protection for those areas separated
by a door from the areas protected by the required smoke detectors under 2-1.1.1
above. The recommended additional areas are the living room, dining room, bed-
room(s), kitchen, attic (finished or unfinished), furnace room, utility room, base-
ment, garage (attached or unattached), and hallways not included in Section 2-
1.1.1 above. However, the use of additional detectors remains the option of the
householder.”
This equipment should be installed in accordance with the National Fire Protection
Association’s Standard 74, NFPA, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269.
THE IS STANDARD MEANS YOU SHOULD INSTALL AND USE A SMOKE
ALARM IN EVERY ROOM AND AREA OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD OR BUILDING
FOR GOOD PROTECTION.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL HELP YOU SAFELY LOCATE YOUR SMOKE ALARMS:
• Do install your smoke alarms in accordance with all applicable laws,
regulations, standards and codes.
• Do install a smoke alarm in the hallway outside of every bedroom area. If
the bedroom has a door, there must be a smoke alarm inside and outside
the bedroom. See Figure 1. If your home or residence has two bedroom
areas, a smoke alarm must be placed outside the second bedroom area,
and inside the bedroom(s) if they have doors. See Figure 2.BEDROOM
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