Smoke detectors how many in a house

Detectors should be located within 10 feet of each bedroom door, and be placed near or over any attached garages. The Association of Fire Chiefs also recommends that detectors be replaced every five to six years, though some detectors are said to last up to 10 years. Smoke alarms should always be installed in a central location outside of each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Similar to smoke detectors, the most efficient method to protect the home is by using interconnected carbon monoxide alarms, so that if one alarm goes off, all of the alarms in home sound off together.

Never place alarms directly next to items that create flames or heat like boilers, cookers, or heaters.

Alarms should be at least one meter away from these appliances. For proper efficiency, alarms also should not be placed on a ceiling the way smoke alarms are. Carbon monoxide rises more slowly and can be deadly before it reaches ceiling height. A CO detector is usually placed lower on your wall.

CO poisoning often feels like the flu, food poisoning, and other common illnesses. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, a light- head, and headaches. Gas cooking stove tops and ovens should not be used for supplemental heat. Follow all instructions from the CO manufacturer for placement, upkeep, and maintenance.

The alarms you purchase should have a label proving recognition by a credible testing laboratory, and be UL certified. Schedule time for a skilled technician to inspect your fuel-burning appliances each year. This includes a fireplace, water heater, boiler, or chimney.

If you must warm up a vehicle, always remove it from the garage after immediately starting it. Probably more than you think! According to the National Fire Protection Association NFPA , you should install smoke detectors on every floor of your home, in each bedroom, outside of sleeping areas, and in hallways.

The NFPA suggests a maximum distance of 30 feet between each smoke detector. Since heat and smoke rise, smoke detectors should always be installed on the ceiling. Also install one near your gas furnace, if you have one, as well as in the laundry room if you have a gas clothes dryer. Rather than rising like smoke, carbon monoxide mixes with the air. Because of this, carbon monoxide detectors are best installed at around knee height. If you have small children that might tamper with a detector, you can install it at chest height.

Single-function carbon monoxide detectors are best because they can be installed at the proper level. Remember that any sort of detector needs to be unobstructed in order to work properly. Make sure never to paint over any smoke or carbon monoxide detector. In addition to being the cause of many false alarms , dust can prevent your detectors from properly sensing a buildup of smoke or dangerous carbon monoxide.

If your detectors are getting older , it may be time to replace them! A survey by the Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC revealed that interconnected smoke detectors work better to alert occupants when a fire breaks out. Of course, a smoke alarm is no good if it's not working, so just installing them and forgetting they exist isn't the safest thing either.

Many of us feel the need to disable our smoke alarms when it goes off while we're cooking I'm totally guilty of this. The danger here is that people often forget to reactivate them. If you're wondering if you even really need smoke alarms anyway, the answer is yes. Having smoke alarms installed correctly throughout your home may save lives. What about carbon monoxide detectors? Yup, you need those too. Be sure to install them in the "central locations of the home," says Roydhouse.

Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because unlike smoke, you won't know if you have carbon monoxide in your home unless the detector alerts you. Carbon monoxide is a "deadly gas that can come from appliances like a furnace, clothes dryer, oven or water heater if it is not working properly," explains Kerber.