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Smoke Detector Placement Info Click Here
New Information about Smoke Detectors!
Smoke detectors aren't new. The technology has been around since the
1960s. The
single-station, battery-powered smoke detector, similar to the one
we know today, became
available to consumers in the 1970s. NFPA estimates that 93% of U.S.
homes have at least one
smoke detector. They save so many lives that most states have laws
requiring them in
residential dwellings. So, why is all the attention being paid to smoke
detectors this Fire
Prevention Week?
Still a Major Problem
Although 13 of every 14 homes have at least one smoke detector, almost
half of home fires and three-fifths
of fire deaths occur in the share of homes with no detectors. Thousands
of people still die each year in
home fires where smoke detectors aren't present.
In addition, there are now more homes with smoke detectors that don't
work than homes without
detectors at all. These poorly maintained units create a false sense
of security among occupants.
Approximately one-third of homes with smoke detectors that experience
fires have smoke detectors that
aren't working, and hundreds of people die each year in these fires.
Tragically, the grave importance of installing and maintaining smoke
detectors has not yet been fully
realized. Most people who die in home fires are not in the room where
the fire starts; working smoke
detectors alert people to fire and give them time to escape in a situation
where minutes can mean the
difference between life and death.
Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives
Having a smoke detector cuts your chance of dying nearly in half if
you have a home fire. By properly
placing, regularly testing and maintaining your detectors, you can
ensure that they are in fact working and
will alert you if a fire breaks out. Make sure you buy only those detectors
that bear the mark of an
independent testing laboratory. Some detectors operate using an "ionization"
sensor while others use
a"photoelectric" sensor. An ionization detector uses an extremely small
quantity of radioactive material to
make the air in the detector chamber conduct electricity. Smoke from
a fire interferes with the electrical
current and triggers the alarm. A photoelectric detector uses a tiny
light source shining on a light sensitive
sensor. The alarm is triggered when smoke from a fire interferes with
the light. All tested and labeled
smoke detectors offer adequate protection if they are properly installed
and maintained.
Make Placement a Priority
A recent NFPA report on smoke detectors found that there is a substantial
number of households that do
not have the devices on every level of the home, as needed. The majority
of fire deaths occur at night when
people are asleep. NFPA's National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72) says homes
must have smoke
detectors on every level of the home -- including the basement -- and
outside each sleeping area. New
homes are required to have a smoke detector in each sleeping area as
well.
To slow the spread of smoke and fumes if a fire develops, NFPA suggests
that you sleep with your
bedroom doors closed. If you sleep with your bedroom doors closed,
install a smoke detector inside each
bedroom. Detectors should also be installed in other areas of your
home where people sleep. In new
homes, the National Fire Alarm Code requires hard-wired detectors to
be interconnected, so that if one
detector is activated, all detectors will sound the alarm signal. On
floors without bedrooms, smoke
detectors should be installed in or near living areas, such as family
rooms and living rooms.
Detectors that are hard-wired into the home electrical system should
be installed by a qualified electrician.
If your detector plugs into a wall socket, make sure it has a restraining
device to keep its plug from being
pulled out. Never connect a detector to a circuit that could be turned
off at a wall switch. Most detectors
are battery-powered and can be installed with a screwdriver and drill
and by following the manufacturer's
instructions.
"Test Your Detectors!""Let's Hear it for Fire Safety":
Since smoke and deadly gases rise, detectors should be placed on the
ceiling at least 4 inches from the
nearest wall, or high on a wall, 4-12 inches from the ceiling. This
4-inch minimum is important to keep
detectors out of possible "dead air" spaces, because hot air is turbulent
and may bounce so much it misses
spots near a surface. Installing detectors near a window, door or fireplace
is not recommended because
drafts could detour smoke away from the unit. In rooms where the ceiling
has an extremely high point, such
as in vaulted ceilings, mount the detector at or near the ceiling's
highest point.
Maintenance is a Must
What good are smoke detectors that don't work? No good at all! That's
why it is imperative that you keep
your smoke detectors fit and in good shape. It's easy. Maintain your
smoke detectors by:
Testing
Whether your detectors are hard-wired or battery-operated,
NFPA recommends testing them once
a month to make sure they are operating. A
working smoke detector greatly reduces your chances
of dying in a home fire. Testing is the only
way to ensure they are working to protect you. Test each
detector by pushing the test button and listening
for the alarm. If you can't reach, stand under the
detector and push the test button with a broom
handle.
Replacing Batteries
If your smoke detectors are battery operated,
replace their batteries according to the manufacturer's
instructions. NFPA recommends doing this at
least once a year or when the detector chirps, alerting
you that the battery power is low. Replace
the batteries immediately if you move into a new home.
Make sure no one disables your smoke detectors
by borrowing batteries for other uses. Everyone
you live with should understand how critical
it is to have working smoke detectors.
Cleaning
Just as you clean your home, your smoke detectors
need to be cleaned. Make sure you follow the
manufacturer's instructions about cleaning.
Cobwebs and dust usually can be removed with a
vacuum cleaner attachment. If you are going
to be doing work nearby that could send dust in the air,
cover the detector with a shield. Also, shield
the detector if you are painting around it, and never
paint on it. Remove the shield promptly after
work is completed.
Dealing with Nuisance Alarms
Regularly cleaning your smoke detectors and following the manufacturer's
instructions may help stop
"nuisance" or false alarms. If this doesn't stop them, install a fresh
battery in the detectors giving nuisance
alarms. Evaluate where your detectors are placed if the problem still
persists. Cooking vapors and steam
can set off a smoke detector. If the detector is near the kitchen or
bathroom, try moving it farther away. If
nuisance alarms continue, install a new smoke detector.
No Substitute for Smoke Detectors
Fire protection in the home must start with smoke detectors. There are
many other kinds of detectors
which may be designed to detect such factors as high temperatures,
rapid changes in temperature, and
certain gases produced in fires. However, these detectors are not as
effective as smoke detectors in giving
the first warning when a fire breaks out. NFPA does not require heat
detectors in homes, however, they
may be used for optional extra protection in areas like kitchens, attics,
and garages, where smoke
detectors are susceptible to nuisance alarms.
Tests performed on the speed of warning given by smoke detectors and
heat detectors for many types of
typical home fires showed smoke detectors consistently give first warning
-- often by enough of a margin
to make a major difference in your chances of escaping alive. Smoke
and deadly gas spread farther and
faster than heat.
Contrary to popular belief, the smell of smoke may not wake a sleeping
person. Instead, the poisonous
gases and smoke produced by a fire can numb the senses and put one
into a deeper sleep.
Smoke Detectors Are Cost-Effective
A battery-operated smoke detector for the home retails for less than
$10. Smoke detectors with extra
features can cost up to $25. Batteries cost $1 to $2, depending on
the brand. A smoke detector for a
typical hard-wired system costs $14-$18. Smoke detectors for people
with hearing impairments cost
approximately $100 each. In 1994, home fires caused $481,000 in damage
every hour.
Now that you know the importance of installing and maintaining smoke
detectors in your home, "Let's
Hear it for Fire Safety: Test Your Detectors!" during Fire Prevention
Week and every month."Let's Hear it
for Fire Safety: Test Your Detectors!"