Installation
Recommended Locations
•Locate the first alarm in the immediate area of the bedrooms. Try to monitor the exit path, as the bedrooms are usually farthest from the exit. If more than one sleeping area exists, locate additional alarms in each sleeping area (Image 1A).
•Locate additional alarms to monitor any stairway as stairways act like chimneys for smoke and heat.
•Locate at least one alarm on every floor level (Image 1B).
•Locate an alarm in every bedroom.
•Locate an alarm in every room where electrical appliances are operated (i.e. portable heaters or humidifiers).
•Locate an alarm in every room where someone sleeps with the door closed. The closed door may prevent an alarm not located in that room from waking the sleeper.
•Smoke, heat, and combustion products rise to the ceiling and spread horizontally. Mounting the smoke alarm on the ceiling in the center of the room places it closest to all points in the room. Ceiling mounting is preferred in ordinary residential construction.
•When mounting an alarm on the ceiling, locate it at a minimum of 10 cm (4") from the side wall (Image 2A).
•When mounting the alarm on the wall, use an inside wall with the top edge of the alarm at a minimum of 10 cm (4") and a maximum of 30.5 cm (12") below the ceiling (Image 2A).
•Put smoke alarms at both ends of a bedroom hallway or large room if the hallway or room is more than 9.1 m (30') long.
•For mobile home installation, select locations carefully to avoid thermal barriers that may form at the ceiling. For more details, see Mobile Homes.
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