How to Place Smoke Detectors in a House

Locating & Mounting

• 1

  Locate a space in a hallway, room or area on the ceiling or high on the wall.

• 2

  Use a ladder to access the area--avoid areas near external doors and windows. The area needs to be no closer than 3 ft. from heat registers/vents so the blowing air won't set off the detector.

  The area also needs to be no closer than 3 ft. from any door leading into a kitchen or bathroom--these rooms emit smoke and steam which can set off the detector.

• 3

  Use a power drill or Phillips head screwdriver to mount a smoke detector's wall plate high on the wall or ceiling. If mounting on a wall, the top of the detector should not be further than 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling.

  If mounting on a ceiling, the top of the detector should not be closer than 4 inches from the nearest wall.

• 4

  Remove the battery door from the back of the smoke detector. Insert a "9V," "AA" or "AAA" battery(ies) into the battery compartment. Replace the battery door.

• 5

  Place the smoke detector on the wall plate so the grooves on the back of the detector lines up with the plate's grooves. Turn the smoke detector clockwise to lock it in place.

Locations

• 6

  Place a smoke detector in each hallway and bedroom in your home as well as in the living room, dining room and basement.

  If living in a desert climate and your home contains a evaporator cooler, mount the smoke detector on a wall 12 inches below the ceiling. This will ensure smoke will be detected by the device since evaporator coolers add moisture to the air and can cause smoke your home to drop.

• 7

  Do not place a smoke detector in the kitchen or garage since these areas contain smoke and fumes that can set the detector off.

• 8

  Do not place a smoke detector in an unheated attic or crawl space. These areas can cause a detector to not work properly due to the extreme temperature changes in these areas.

  Note, there are smoke detectors designed for attics--ideal if you use the attic for storage and you desire a detector in the space.