Specification

heat alone can cause someone to become unconscious and not be able to
escape. Mere seconds of escape time can be valuable.
4. Time is critical. A residential home can be totally consumed in flames in less
than five minutes from the start of a fire! A home fire can double in size is just 30
seconds.* You must know what to do in order to get you and your family out
safely. A closed door is often the best way to stall a fire. By closing the door, you
may save yourself valuable seconds to use an alternate escape route.
I have one smoke alarm in my home. Is that enough protection against fire?
No, several smoke alarms and fire extinguishers must be installed and
maintained for proper fire protection. The NFPA recommends smoke alarms be
installed on every level of the home, and inside every bedroom. Smoke alarms
should also be installed in the main corridor outside each bedroom area. Fire
extinguishers should be installed on each living level, as well as in rooms that
pose potential fire hazards (i.e., kitchen, garage, workshop).
Installing and maintaining smoke alarms and fire extinguishers dramatically
increases your family's chances of surviving a fire.
Where should I install smoke alarms and fire extinguishers?
Many laws require that you install at least one smoke alarm on every level of
your home. It is also important to install at least one fire extinguisher in a
convenient location on each level. The most basic protection for any home would
be to install one smoke alarm and one fire extinguisher on each level. However,
check your local building code since many require alarms also in each bedroom.
However, we recommend that you:
Other important considerations include:
1. Mount smoke alarms in the middle of the ceiling when ceiling mounted. If that
is not possible mount detectors on the wall at least three feet away from a corner
and 4 - 6 inches away from the ceiling.
2. Keep smoke alarms away from drafts created by fans or air ducts. The moving
air can blow smoke away from the sensor.
3. Avoid placing smoke alarms too near the kitchen stove and bathroom shower,
as cooking smoke and shower steam can cause nuisance alarms.
4. Mount basement alarms at the bottom of the basement stairwell.