Smoke Detector Standards

National Standards

• According to the United States Fire Administration, the first standards for home smoke alarms were laid down by the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) NFPA 74 document and were later required of all homes by the NFPA's Life Safety Code. Subsequent requirements by the Council of American Building Officials (CABO), Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA), International Council of Building Officials (ICBO), Southern Building Code Congress (SBCCI), International Code Council (ICC), Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Administration required smoke detectors in every dwelling.

Local Standards

• In addition to these national and international standards, states, cities, towns, municipalities and even individual subdivisions and neighborhoods frequently have their own smoke detector requirements for residences and businesses. Some require all new homes be built with "hard-wired" smoke detector systems that tie into the home's electricity and use battery backups. If you are unsure of what laws apply to your home, contact a local government office.

Smoke Detector Quality Standards

• In addition to these requirements, there are other standards to consider when purchasing a smoke alarm. Independent testing standards that evaluate consumer products, the most well-known of which is Underwriter's Laboratories (UL), rate smoke alarms. For instance, UL 217 requires certain quality and durability standards for smoke detectors; detectors either meet or fail these requirements, and are labeled as such. Contact a local government official to inquire as to the UL standards for smoke detectors required in your area.

Other Considerations

• Smoke detectors should always be installed so that they afford the maximum protection to home inhabitants. Smoke detectors should at least be placed on every level of the home but ideally in every room in the home. Wall-mounted smoke detectors should be installed so that they are as close as possible to the ceiling but still with about 1 foot of clearance from where the wall meets the ceiling.