Smoke detectors keep you, your family, and your home safe. While they can’t prevent a fire in your home, they will alert you to danger and give you time to react. Smoke detectors are important, but where’s the best place to put them? Consider these tips when choosing the best placement of smoke detectors in your home.
How Many Smoke Detectors Should You Have?
At a minimum, you should have at least one smoke detector on each level of your home, although you may choose to have one in every room. The actual placement of smoke detectors will vary based on the layout of your home. Listed below are some of the things to consider when deciding where to place your smoke detectors.
Furnace
It’s always a good idea to install a smoke detector near the furnace. You want to be quickly alerted to a fire that begins in your heating system.
Hallways are Great for the Placement of Smoke Detectors
In the event of a fire, smoke will rise, trying to escape. Hallways become tunnels for the smoke, making the hallway an ideal location for a smoke detector.
Kitchen
Most kitchen fires occur when someone is in the kitchen actively cooking, but that’s not always the case. Appliances can short-out, old wiring can spark, or an unattended oven can cause a fire, making kitchens an ideal room for the placement of smoke detectors. To avoid false alarms while cooking, install the detector 10 feet away from your oven or stove.
Stairs
Like hallways, the stairway will become a pathway for smoke if a fire breaks out in your home. Install a smoke detector at the top of the stairs if you live in a two-story house. If you have a basement, install a detector at the bottom of the basement stairs to alert you in case a fire breaks out downstairs.
Bedrooms
Ideally, your home will have a smoke detector in each bedroom and outside of the bedroom doors. If the bedrooms share a hallway, one detector in the hallway would be sufficient.
Laundry Room
The dryer and the dryer vent are concerns in the laundry room, making that space ideal for the placement of smoke detectors in your home. Keeping the dryer exhaust hose and vent cleaned on a regular basis is important for fire prevention.
Fireplace
Sparks from fireplaces or structural issues in the fireplace can cause a fire in your home. If you have a fireplace, it’s a good idea to install a smoke detector nearby.
Don’t Forget About Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide has no odor and it can’t be seen. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by installing carbon monoxide detectors in your home. You can buy detectors with both carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.
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