Placement - Firex G-6 Instructions Manual

• Smoke alarms sound their alarm horns when they detect smoke.
They do not detect heat, flame, or gas. They will not operate if smoke
does not reach the smoke alarm.
• We recommend that you install a smoke alarm in every room and
on every level of the home. Smoke may not reach the smoke alarm
for many reasons. For example, if a fire starts in a remote part of the
home, on another level, in a chimney, wall, roof, or on the other side of
a closed door, smoke may not reach the smoke alarm in time to alert
household members. A smoke alarm will not promptly detect a fire
EXCEPT in the area or room in which it is installed.
• Model G-6, PG40, GC and FXW-R smoke alarms meet all NFPA
requirements for new and existing homes. Per the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 72, Chapter 2, this type of
smoke alarm can be used to meet the minimum requirements for new
and existing residential dwellings. The standard requires that smoke
alarms for new residential dwellings be AC powered and interconnect-
ed. Therefore, Model G-6, PG40, and GC can be used to meet the min-
imum requirements for new construction residential dwellings.
• Smoke alarms may not alert every household member every
time. The alarm horn is loud in order to alert persons to a potential
danger. However, there may be limiting circumstances where a
household member may not hear the alarm (e.g., outdoor or indoor
noise, sound sleepers, drug or alcohol usage, the hard of hearing,
etc.). If you suspect this smoke alarm may not alert a household
member, install and maintain specialty smoke alarms. Household
members must hear the alarm's warning sound and quickly respond
to it to reduce the risk of damage, injury, or death which may result
from fire. If a household member is hard of hearing, install special
smoke alarms with lights or vibrating devices to alert occupants.
• This smoke alarm will not provide adequate escape or rescue
time in extremely fast moving fires. Fast fires include gas fires,
flammable liquid fires, or fires set on purpose. The smoke alarm will
not give adequate escape time to people very close to the fire. Such
examples might be, children playing with matches or smokers who
fall asleep and drop a cigarette into their bed.
• Smoke alarms have limitations. This smoke alarm is not foolproof
and is not warranted to protect lives or property from fire. Smoke
alarms are not a substitute for insurance. Homeowners and renters
should insure their lives and property. In addition, it is possible for
the smoke alarm to fail at any time. For this reason, you must test
the smoke alarm weekly and replace it every 10 years.
SMOKE ALARM PLACEMENT
Maple Chase recommends complete coverage protection achieved
by installing a smoke alarm in every room of your home. The National
Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) MINIMUM requirement for locat-
ing smoke alarms in family living units is detailed in NFPA Standard
72, Chapter 2. It reads as follows:
"2-2.1.1.1 Smoke detectors shall be installed outside of each separate
sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and on each addi-
tional story of the family living unit including basements and excluding
crawl spaces and unfinished attics. In new construction a smoke detector
also shall be installed in each sleeping room."
Further, section 2-2 2.1 states that:
"In new construction, where more than one smoke detector is required by 2-
2.1, they shall be so arranged that operation of any smoke detector shall
cause the alarm in all smoke detectors within the dwelling to sound."
The NFPA, 1993 Edition, Appendix A, however, clearly points out that:
"The required number of smoke detectors [as defined in the paragraphs
above] may not provide reliable early warning protection for those areas
separated by a door from the areas protected by the required smoke
detectors. For this reason, it is recommended that the householder con-
sider the use of additional smoke detectors for those areas for
increased protection. The additional areas include: basement, bed-
rooms, dining room, furnace room, utility room, and hallways not pro-
tected by the required smoke detectors."
Further, the California State Fire Marshal states that the minimum number
of required smoke alarms is not enough to give the earliest warning under
all conditions. The California State Fire Marshal states that:
"Early warning fire detection is best achieved by the installation of fire
detection equipment in all rooms and areas of the household as follows:
A smoke detector installed in each separate sleeping area (in the vicinity,
but outside the bedrooms), and heat or smoke detectors in the living
rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, attics, furnace rooms,
closets, utility and storage rooms, basements and attached garages."
It is clear from the above abstracts that the earliest warning of a
developing fire is best achieved by the installation of smoke
alarms in all rooms and areas of the residence. Accordingly, Maple
Chase recommends that you install smoke alarms in every room of
your residence, even though this is not required by the typical
code or standard.
FOR MAXIMUM COVERAGE, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU
INSTALL A SMOKE ALARM IN EVERY ROOM OF THE
HOME, INCLUDING BASEMENTS AND FINISHED ATTICS. In
addition, we recommend interconnecting all smoke alarms
capable of being interconnected.
Maple Chase recommends a minimum of two smoke alarms in every
home, no matter how small the home (including efficiency apart-
ments). Maple Chase also recommends maximum coverage by
installing smoke alarms in both required and recommended locations
as illustrated and described.
2