In the bedroom, install the smoke detector inside or directly outside the room within a foot of ceiling away from bedroom window, air conditioning, vent, or duct. These drafts can interfere with the detector’s alarm system leaving you extremely vulnerable.
We understand that smoke rises. Therefore, you need to mount smoke detectors in high regions close to ceilings. This is the best location for smoke detectors because it will allow faster detection of fire.
Where Should Smoke Detectors be Placed in Bedrooms?
The smoke detectors should always be installed away from the fan and at least 3 feet away from the blades’ ends, but if you have more room, that’s good as well. Keep smoke detectors 12 inches from your ceiling to avoid interference from air ducts or windows.
Sometimes, fires begin in the bedroom. So, where should you install the smoke detector in the bedroom? Install the smoke detectors in a place that has suitable air supply, not humid, away from ventilation or fans, and dust-free.
We’ll use the NFPA’s experiment to help us offer you a definitive answer; they’ve gone to tremendous pains to figure out a solution to this problem.
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Smoke detectors in a bedroom should be at least 36 inches (3 feet) away from the tip of a ceiling fan blade, according to common knowledge.
It can be proven, based on experimental data, that a ceiling fan will not prevent smoke from entering the alarm. Also, the direction of the fan doesn’t matter, especially if the detector is 3 feet away from the blade’s tip.
A fan, on the other hand, will cause a delay in detection when it is turned on. In general, the longer the detection, the greater the fan speed.
Why you need a smoke detector in the bedroom
While we are deep asleep, it is difficult to tell what is going on around us. Smoke detectors are our best line of defense against possible injuries caused by fires in the bedroom.
Here are the reasons why you might need a smoke detector in the bedroom:
- It is a life saver at night.
- During the day when no one is in the bedroom, the smoke detector can serve as an early alarm to prevent devastating damage to the entire house.
- Fire alarms may not prevent fires but they prevent property loss.
- It is good for the safety of neighbors too.
The type of smoke detector to install in bedroom
The best smoke alarm type to install in the bedroom is an ionization alarm. The reason I recommend this is because they are better at detecting even invisible particles from flaming fires that start in another room.
However, for maximum detection of fires in your bedroom, you might consider adding both ionizing and photoelectric alarms.
Photoelectric alarms are those detectors that go off when there are bigger fire particles floating around, for instance, from slow, smoldering fire.
Dual alarm sensors can be merged into one powerful device that serves you in the best way possible.
Interconnected alarms
Regardless of the type of brand of smoke alarm, interconnecting all the alarms in the room so that when one alarm sounds, all the rest including those in your bedroom will sound too.
Currently, manufacturers offer a number of interconnected smoke alarms that one can easily set up.
Do’s and Don’ts of installing the smoke detectors
Always remember to do the following:
- Ensure that the detectors you’re using are approved by Underwriters Laboratories for meeting the required standards of safety before beginning your installation.
- It is advisable to read the smoke detector manual thoroughly before you begin the process of setting it up in the bedroom.
- Always find a spot on the ceiling to mount the smoke detector. If there is an option to put it on the wall, install it about 12 inches away from the ceiling. This will ensure that the detector is not in the dead air zone. It should receive constant supply of room air.
- Having multiple detectors connected together when possible is a good idea.
What do you need to avoid when installing smoke detectors in bedroom?
- Set the detector far away from the window. Winds may fail to pick up the heat of smoke when there is a fire.
- Install the device in areas that easily collect dust or dirt.
- Never install it near humid areas including the bathroom.
- Fans should be far away from the smoke detector as possible in your bedroom.
- Finally, avoid installation near air vents.
Types of Smoke Detectors
Which Smoke Detector Should I Purchase?
Photoelectric smoke detectors and ionization smoke detectors are the two main types of smoke detectors, and they work in somewhat different ways.
A photoelectric smoke detector is designed to detect smoke as it spreads across a vast area, and it can be extremely sensitive to even the smallest amounts of smoke, especially in rooms with high ceilings.
They function by projecting light into a sensor chamber. There is nothing to impede this light under normal circumstances, and the beam remains unbroken.
When smoke enters the chamber, however, the particles in the smoke disrupt the light beam, preventing the sensor from receiving the light and setting off the alert.
In contrast, an ionization smoke detector contains two plates between which a steady flow of charged ions is conveyed. A current is created between the two plates as a result of this. The current is cut and the alarm rings if smoke enters the chamber with the ions and disrupts their flow.