Fire Prevention and Inspections Division

How many smoke alarms do I need?

• Install at least one smoke alarm on every home floor (including the basement and attic) and outside each sleeping area. Install smoke alarms inside the room if you sleep with the door closed.  
• Ensure that all family members can hear the smoke alarm. If someone is hearing impaired, install alarms that flash a strobe light and sound an alarm. 
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Safety Tips

• While smoke alarms alert people to fires, families must develop and practice home fire escape plans to get out quickly. 
• Because smoke rises, alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings. Wall-mounted alarms should be positioned four to 12 inches from the ceiling and four inches away from the nearest wall. On vaulted ceilings, mount the alarm at the highest point of the ceiling. 
• Smoke alarms should not be installed near a window, door, or forced-air register where drafts could interfere with their operation. 
• Be sure that the smoke alarm you buy carries the label of an independent testing lab. 
• A qualified electrician should install hard-wired alarms to the home's electrical system.

Maintain your smoke alarm

• Smoke alarms should be tested at least once a month using the alarm's "test button" and cleaned following the manufacturer's instructions. 
• Clean smoke alarms using a vacuum cleaner without removing the alarm's cover. 
• Install new batteries in all smoke alarms at least once a year, for example, when you change your clocks or the alarm chirps (warning that the battery is dying). 
• Replace all smoke alarm batteries immediately upon moving into a new home. 
• Keep batteries in smoke alarms; do not borrow them for other purposes. Nuisance activations can be addressed by moving an alarm farther away from kitchen smoke or bathroom steam and cleaning more frequently. If the problem persists, replace the alarm. 
• Replace smoke alarms every ten years. 
• If you need a Smoke Detector at your residential property, please use the tab below and provide your Name, Contact number, and address.