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29.5.1.2 Where the area addressed in 29.5.1.1(2) is separated from
the adjacent living areas by a door, a smoke alarm shall be installed
in the area between the door and the sleeping room, and additional
alarms shall be installed on the living area side of the door as
specified by 29.5.1.1 and 29.5.1.3.
29.5.1.3 In addition to the requirements of 29.5.1.1(1) through
29.5.1.1(3), where the interior floor area for a given level of a dwelling
unit, excluding garage areas, is greater than 93m
alarms shall be installed per 29.5.1.3.1 and 29.5.1.3.2.
29.5.1.3.1 All points on the ceiling shall have a smoke alarm within a
distance of 9.1m (30ft) travel distance or shall have an equivalent of
one smoke alarm per 46m
(500ft
2
interior square footage of floor area per level by 46m
29.5.1.3.2 Where dwelling units include great rooms or vaulted/
cathedral ceilings extending over multiple floors, smoke alarms
located on the upper floor that are intended to protect the
aforementioned area shall be permitted to be considered as part of
the lower floor(s) protection scheme used to meet the requirements of
29.5.1.3.1.
The installation of additional alarms of either the smoke, heat or
CO type should result in a higher degree of protection. Adding alarms
to rooms that are normally closed off from the required alarms
increases the escape time because the fire does not need to build to
the higher level necessary to force smoke out of the closed room to
the required alarms. As a consequence, it is recommended that the
householder consider the installation of additional fire protection
devices. However, it should be understood that NFPA 72 does not
require additional smoke alarms over and above those called for in
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 where required smoke alarms are shown.
Figure 1
Figure 1:
A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE LOCATED ON EVERY
LEVEL OF DWELLING UNIT, INCLUDING BASEMENT, WITHIN
EACH SLEEPING ROOM AND OUTSIDE SLEEPING AREAS.
Where to Locate the Required Smoke Alarms. The major threat
from fire in a dwelling unit occurs at night when everyone is asleep.
Persons in sleeping areas can be threatened by fires in the remainder
of the unit; therefore, smoke alarms are best located in each bedroom
and between the bedroom areas and the rest of the unit as shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 2
Figure 2: A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE LOCATED BETWEEN THE
SLEEPING AREA AND THE REST OF THE DWELLING UNIT AS
WELL AS IN EACH BEDROOM.
In dwelling units with more than one bedroom area or with
bedrooms on more than one floor, more than one smoke alarm is
required, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3
Figure 3: IN DWELLING UNITS WITH MORE THAN ONE
SLEEPING AREA, A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO
PROTECT EACH SLEEPING AREA IN ADDITION TO SMOKE
ALARMS REQUIRED IN BEDROOMS.
(1000ft
, smoke
2
2)
) is evaluated by dividing the total
2
(500ft
).
2
2
In addition to smoke alarms outside of the sleeping areas and in
each bedroom, NFPA 72 requires the installation of a smoke alarm
on each additional level of the dwelling unit, including the basement.
These installations are shown in Figure 4. The living area smoke
alarm should be installed in the living room or near the stairway to
the upper lever, or in both locations. The basement smoke alarm
should be installed in close proximity to the stairway leading to the
floor above. Where installed on an open-joisted ceiling, the smoke
alarm should be placed on the bottom of the joists. The smoke
alarm should be positioned relative to the stairway so as to intercept
smoke coming from a fire in the basement before the smoke enters
the stairway.
Figure 4
Figure 4: A SMOKE ALARM SHOULD BE LOCATED ON EACH
LEVEL IN ADDITION TO EACH BEDROOM.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION
NFPA 72, 2010 Edition, Chapter 29, Section 29.8.1.4(5)(b)
states: "Smoke alarms installed in one- and two-family
dwellings shall not remain in service longer than 10 years from
the date of manufacture." Smoke alarms should be replaced
for the following reasons:
Dust, dirt, and other environmental contaminants can affect your
smoke alarm over a prolonged period.
Fast changing industry consensus standards and codes on all
devices make it advisable to periodically upgrade your smoke alarm
to maximize life safety.
Assurance that your smoke alarm needs are kept abreast with
the constantly improving electronic technology.
Smoke alarms are recognized as one of the lowest cost ways to
protect dwelling inhabitants against the danger of fire(s). It makes
good common sense to periodically replace and update your smoke
alarm that contributes so much to life safety.
MOUNTING LOCATION
This smoke alarm can be mounted on a ceiling or wall with equal
efficiency in either location.
Ceiling location - smoke alarm should be mounted as close as
possible to the center of a hallway or room.
Wall location - locate the top of the smoke alarm not more than 12
inches from the ceiling.
Figure 5
Figure 5: RECOMMENDED SMOKE ALARM MOUNTING
LOCATIONS.
Figures 1, 2, 3, & 4 are reprinted with permission from NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code®,
Copyright ©2002, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA 02169. This reprinted material
is not the complete and official position of the National Fire Protection Association on the referenced
subject which is represented only by the standard in its entirety. National Fire Alarm Code® and
NFPA 72® are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association,
Inc., Quincy, MA 02169.
550-0071
Pg. 7-3
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