How to Install a Smoke Detector

Smoke Detectors are a crucial investment in any home; representing a small amount of money and time, in exchange for peace of mind about yourself and your family. A smoke detector will wake up people in your house when there is a fire, preventing you from falling into a deeper sleep from the carbon monoxide. A common misconception is that if a fire was to break out in your home, you would wake up from the noise, the heat or the smoke; in effect making a smoke detector useless. This is not the case; in fact, you are more likely to be put in a deeper sleep. A smoke detector is a necessity in any home, big or small. Smoke detectors are cheap, easy to install and most of all, can save lives. Follow the steps below to install your smoke detector.

The first step is to determine the placement of smoke detectors throughout your house. Since the purpose of a smoke detector is to awaken people who are sleeping, it is best to situate smoke detectors as close as possible to where people sleep. Smoke detectors should either be placed inside of bedrooms, just outside of bedrooms, and/or in hallways leading to bedrooms. For the safest option you have to think about the placement and how many smoke detectors should be placed within the house; often this means asking whether doors will be opened or closed at night, or whether somebody is likely to hear a smoke detector in it’s proposed placement. If you are only going to place one detector in your house, which may be adequate for smaller homes, make sure it is between the bedrooms and the rest of the house but closer to the bedrooms. It is usually a good idea to invest in several smoke detectors, especially in larger houses or where sleeping areas are located away from each other.

When you mount the smoke detectors make sure they are as high as possible. Although the ceiling is preferable you can place them on the wall, between 4-12 inches from the ceiling. When situating the smoke detector on the ceiling, make sure it is 4-6 inches away from the wall. With uneven ceiling, it is preferable to place the detector at the highest point. Don’t put smoke detectors near heating or cooling ducts, windows, vents, or anywhere where smoke could escape.

If you have a house with different levels you should place smoke detectors on each level. You should also not neglect the basement; a good placement is on the steps between the basement and the rest of the house. It usually isn’t a good idea to situate a smoke detector in the kitchen or in close proximity to the kitchen, as you’ll probably get false alarms. The installation is a matter of following the mounting instructions that come with your detector.

Once you have made the commitment to install smoke detectors, you have made the crucial step towards your own safety and the safety of those around you. They don’t cost much, and the cost and time involved is certainly worth the lives a smoke detector could save.