Smoke Alarm Placement

Smoke Alarm Placement - HK Insurance - Watertown, MA One of the scariest thoughts for a home owner is that of a fire. No one wants to experience that, and no one should have to. While there are many safety checks in place to protect against fire, such as building safety codes, one of the best ways to protect against the danger of fire is the one we use every day: fire alarms. These may seems like standard features of any house (as they should) but some houses are not equipped with proper fire alarms. A good fire alarm system is one of the most important things you can do to protect your house and family.

Hardwired or Battery Powered Alarms

You have two options when it comes to choosing smoke alarms. You can either go with battery powered or hardwired smoke alarms. Battery-power smoke detectors are cheap and non-evasive to an existing home, but have their limitations. Battery alarms will eventually turn off, and depending on the layout and soundproofing of your home, may take a while to be heard. The hardwired versions are all connected and when one goes off all of them will, and don’t have to worry about dead batteries. The best option is to get hardwired alarms (with battery backup).

Smoke Alarm Placement

Proper smoke alarm placement is one of the most important decisions you will make to ensure your safety from fire. Here are five locations where you should place fire alarms.

  • One on every level of your house, including your attic and basement
  • One inside every bedroom, specifically if the door is usually closed
  • In each hall of 40 feet or more (if longer, install one at each end)
  • At the top of stairways leading up from main floor
  • At the bottom of stairways leading down from main floor

If there is more than one sleeping areas in your home, make sure they are all covered. This may seem like a lot of fire alarms, but it’s worth the added protection.

Maintaining Smoke Alarms

Maintaining your smoke alarms depends on what type of alarms you have. Of course smoke alarms are no good if you do not maintain them. If you have battery smoke alarms make sure to check and change the batteries often (if you hear periodic chirping, it usually means one of the batteries died). If you have a hardwired system, it is also important to check batteries. You do not want to lose power only to find your back up batteries are dead. There are other things important to maintaining your smoke alarms, such as staying up with new laws and code updates. A law recently passed in MA is that if your house was built earlier than 1975, you must make sure your smoke alarms are current (less than 10 years old). They also may not exceed the manufacturer’s recommended life time. Older houses are more susceptible to fires and therefore more stringent regulations are in place. This guide for home sellers should help you understand what is required of you.

Smoke Alarms for Mobile Homes and Apartments

Smoke alarms are necessary for mobile homes as well. You should locate these close to sleeping areas. Although mobile homes are often smaller than traditional houses and are only on one floor, having proper fire alarm coverage is still very important. If you own an older mobile home make sure the wiring is up to date and any appliances which could cause a fire hazard are replaced. Consider placing multiple alarms if there is more than one sleeping area.

Proper fire alarm coverage is not only wise, it must be in place to comply with building codes. Another great way to protect your home, is through a good homeowner’s insurance plan. If you would like to review your coverage or have any questions, contact the H&K Insurance Agency. Our team of experienced agents will help you find the right type of insurance for your home, and address any concerns you have. Learn more about our home insurance policies here.