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ABOUT SMOKE ALARMS
Battery (DC) operated Smoke Alarms: Provide protection even when
electricity fails, provided the batteries are fresh and correctly installed.
Units are easy to install, and do not require professional installation.
AC powered Smoke Alarms: Can be interconnected so if one unit
senses smoke, all units alarm. They do not operate if electricity fails.
AC with battery (DC) back-up: will operate if electricity fails, provided
the batteries are fresh and correctly installed. AC and AC/DC units must
be installed by a qualified electrician.
ONELINK
®
Smoke Alarms with battery (DC) back-up: Interconnects
with all ONELINK
®
enabled Smoke and Smoke/CO Alarms without wires
or connectors, so when one alarm sounds, they all sound. Will operate if
electricity fails, provided the batteries are fresh and correctly installed.
Units are easy to install, and do not require professional installation.
Smoke/CO Alarms for Solar or Wind Energy users and battery
backup power systems: AC powered Smoke/CO Alarms should only
be operated with true or pure sine wave inverters. Operating this Alarm
with most battery-powered UPS (uninterruptible power supply) products
or square wave or “quasi sine wave” inverters will damage the Alarm.
If you are not sure about your inverter or UPS type, please consult with
the manufacturer to verify.
Smoke Alarms for the hearing impaired: Special purpose Smoke Alarms
should be installed for the hearing impaired. They include a visual alarm
and an audible alarm horn, and meet the requirements of the Americans
With Disabilities Act. Can be interconnected so if one unit senses smoke,
all units alarm.
Smoke alarms are not to be used with detector guards unless the
combination has been evaluated and found suitable for that purpose.
All these Smoke Alarms are designed to provide early warning of fires if
located, installed and cared for as described in the user’s manual, and if
smoke reaches the Alarm. If you are unsure which type of Smoke Alarm
to install, refer the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard
72 (National Fire Alarm Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code).
National Fire Protection Association, One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA
02269-9101. Local building codes may also require specific units in new
construction or in different areas of the home.
AGENCY PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
NFPA 72 (National Fire Code) Chapter 11
“For your information, the National Fire Protection Association's
Standard 72, reads as follows:”
“11.5.1 One- and Two-Family Dwelling Units.”
“11.5.1.1 Smoke Detection.
Where required by applicable laws, codes, or
standards for the specified occupancy, approved single- and multiple
-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 sepa-
rate sleeping area, in immediate vicinity of the sleeping rooms.
(3) On each level of the dwelling unit, including basements Exception: In
existing one- and two family dwelling units, approved Smoke Alarms
powered by batteries are permitted.”
“A.11.8.3 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 additional areas include the base-
ment, bedrooms, dining room, furnace room, utility room, and hallways
not protected by the required Smoke Alarms. The installation of Smoke
Alarms in kitchens, attics (finished or unfinished), or garages is not
normally recommended, as these locations occasionally experience
conditions that can result in improper operation.”
California State Fire Marshal (CSFM)
Early warning detection is best achieved by the installation of fire detection
equipment in all rooms and areas of the household as follows: A Smoke
Alarm installed in each separate sleeping area (in the vicinity, but outside
bedrooms), and Heat or Smoke Alarms in the living rooms, dining rooms,
bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, finished attics, furnace rooms, closets,
utility and storage rooms, basements, and attached garages.
SPECIAL COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS
This unit alone is not a suitable substitute for complete fire detection
systems in places housing many people—like apartment buildings,
condominiums, hotels, motels, dormitories, hospitals, long-term health
care facilities, nursing homes, day care facilities, or group homes of
any kind—even if they were once single-family homes. It is not a
suitable substitute for complete fire detection systems in warehouses,
industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and special-purpose non-
residential buildings which require special fire detection and alarm
systems. Depending on the building codes in your area, this unit may
be used to provide additional protection in these facilities.
The following information applies to all five types of buildings listed
below:
In new construction, most building codes require the use of AC or AC/DC
powered Smoke Alarms only. AC, AC/DC, or DC powered Smoke Alarms
can be used in existing construction as specified by local building codes.
Refer to NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety
Code), local building codes, or consult your Fire Department for detailed
fire protection requirements in buildings not defined as “households.”
1. Single-Family Residence:
Single family home, townhouse. It is recommended this unit be installed
on every level of the home, in every bedroom, and in each bedroom
hallway.
2. Multi-Family or Mixed Occupant Residence:
Apartment building, condominium. This unit is suitable for use in
individual apartments or condos, provided a primary fire detection
system already exists to meet fire detection requirements in common
areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this unit in common areas
may not provide sufficient warning to all residents or meet local fire
protection ordinances/regulations.
3. Institutions:
Hospitals, day care facilities, long-term health care facilities. This unit is
suitable for use in individual patient sleeping/resident rooms, provided
a primary fire detection system already exists to meet fire detection
requirements in common areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches.
Using this unit in common areas may not provide sufficient warning to
all residents or meet local fire protection ordinances/regulations.
4. Hotels and Motels:
Also boarding houses and dormitories. This unit is suitable for use inside
individual sleeping/resident rooms, provided a primary fire detection
system already exists to meet fire detection requirements in common
areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this unit in common areas
may not provide sufficient warning to all residents or meet local fire
protection ordinances/regulations.
5. Warehouses/Commercial Buildings:
DO NOT use this Smoke/CO Alarm in warehouses, industrial or
commercial buildings, special-purpose non-residential buildings, RVs,
boats, or airplanes. This Smoke/CO Alarm is specifically designed for
residential use, and may not provide adequate protection in non-resi-
dential applications.
REGULATORY INFORMATION FOR SMOKE ALARMS
RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS FOR SMOKE ALARMS
Installing Smoke Alarms in Single-Family Residences
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), recommends one
Smoke Alarm on every floor, in every sleeping area, and in every
bedroom. In new construction, the Smoke Alarms must be AC powered
and interconnected. See “Agency Placement Recommendations” for
details. For additional coverage, it is recommended that you install a
Smoke Alarm in all rooms, halls, storage areas, finished attics, and
basements, where temperatures normally remain between 40˚ F (4˚ C)
and 100˚ F (38˚ C). Make sure no door or other obstruction could keep
smoke from reaching the Smoke Alarms.
More specifically, install Smoke Alarms:
•
On every level of your home, including finished attics and basements.
•
Inside every bedroom, especially if people sleep with the door partly
or completely closed.
•
In the hall near every sleeping area. If your home has multiple
sleeping areas, install a unit in each. If a hall is more than 40 feet
long (12 meters), install a unit at each end.
•
At the top of the first-to-second floor stairway, and at the bottom of
the basement stairway.
Specific requirements for Smoke Alarm installation vary from state to
state and from region to region. Check with your local Fire Department
for current requirements in your area. It is recommended AC or AC/DC
units be interconnected for added protection.
