Recommended Locations for Smoke Detectors

Bedroom Ceilings

• Smoke and heat rise, so place smoke detectors on the ceilings of bedrooms to ensure the early detection of a fire. Bedrooms are the best places for ceiling smoke detectors because fires often occur during the night, when families are asleep. A faulty electrical wire, a fireplace that is not contained or a kitchen appliance that is left on can start a fire in the middle of the night. Place smoke detectors on bedroom ceilings to ensure that family members wake up when an alarm sounds.

Near Family Rooms and Kitchens

• Family rooms, dens and kitchens see most of the action in a home. When family members are not sleeping, they are usually watching television, relaxing in the den or preparing and eating meals. Place smoke detectors in or near a den or family room in a home. This is especially true if a family room has a fireplace. Place a smoke detector near the kitchen instead of in it to avoid false alarms related to cooking.

Basement

• Smoke detectors that are on upper floors of the home may be slow to detect fires that begin in the basement, so homes with basements should have a smoke detector on that lower level. Basements can have separate wiring from the home's other floors and often include washers and dryers, water heaters and extra appliances that can pose fire risks. A basement should have a smoke detector in the main area and in or outside any sleeping areas.