INSTALLATION
WHERE TO INSTALL THIS ALARM
Minimum coverage for Smoke Alarms, as recommended by the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is one Smoke Alarm on
every floor, in every sleeping area, and in every bedroom (See
“Regulatory Information For Smoke Alarms” for details on the NFPA
recommendations).
For CO Alarms, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
recommends that a CO Alarm should be centrally located outside of
each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms.
For added protection, install additional CO Alarms in each separate
bedroom, and on every level of your home.
NOTE: For added protection, install an additional Smoke/CO Alarm at
least 15 feet (4.6 meters) away from the furnace or fuel burning heat
source where possible. In smaller homes or in manufactured homes
where this distance cannot be maintained, install the Alarm as far away as
possible from the furnace or other fuel burning source. Installing the Alarm
closer than 15 feet (4.6 meters) will not harm the Alarm, but may increase
the frequency of unwanted alarms.
In general, install combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide 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
(12 meters) long, install a unit at each end.
•
At the top of first-to-second floor stairs.
•
At the bottom of the basement stairs.
•
For additional coverage, install Alarms in all rooms, halls, and storage
areas, where temperatures normally remain between 40˚ F and 100˚ F
(4˚ C and 38˚ C).
RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT
SUGGESTED AREAS FOR INSTALLING
SMOKE ALARMS, CO ALARMS, AND COMBO UNITS
KEY:
SMOKE ALARMS
SMOKE ALARM WITH
SILENCE FEATURE
CO ALARMS
BOTH, OR COMBINATION
SMOKE/CO ALARMS
Suggested locations are based on
NFPA recommendations (NFPA 72
for Smoke Alarms and NFPA 720 for
Carbon Monoxide Alarms). Always
refer to national and local codes
before beginning any installation.
In new construction AC and AC/DC smoke alarms MUST
be interconnected to meet NFPA recommendations.
•
When installing on the wall, the top edge of Smoke Alarms should
be placed between 4 inches (102 mm) and 12 inches (305 mm) from
the wall/ceiling line.
•
When installing on the ceiling, place the alarm as close to the center
as possible.
•
In either case, install at least 4 inches (102 mm) from where the
wall and ceiling meet. See “Avoiding Dead Air Spaces” for more
information.
NOTE: For any location, make sure no door or other obstruction could
keep carbon monoxide or smoke from reaching the Alarm.
Installing Smoke/CO Alarms in Mobile Homes
For minimum security install one Smoke/CO Alarm as close to each
sleeping area as possible. For more security, put one unit in each room.
Many older mobile homes (especially those built before 1978) have little
or no insulation. If your mobile home is not well insulated, or if you are
unsure of the amount of insulation, it is important to install units on
inside walls only.