Smoke Detector Safety Tips

North Babylon Fire Rescue wants your home to be as safe as possible. Utilize these tips to get the maximum benefit from your smoke detectors.

• - The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that every home have a smoke detector outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home including the basement. If you sleep with your bedroom door closed you should also have a smoke detector inside the sleeping area.
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• - On floors without bedrooms, smoke detectors should be installed in or near living areas such as family rooms, dens, or dining rooms.
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• - Smoke detectors should be mounted high on a wall or on the ceiling. If mounted on the wall it should be 8 to 12 inches from the ceiling. In stairways with no doors at the top or bottom, position the smoke detector anywhere in the path of smoke moving up the stairs. Always position smoke detectors at the bottom of closed stairways, such as those leading from the basement.
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• - Don’t install smoke detectors too near a window, door or forced air registry where drafts could interfere with the detector’s operation. Smoke detectors should not be installed in attics or unheated spaces where humidity and temperature change could affect a detector’s operation.
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• - Test all smoke alarms monthly and install new batteries at least twice a year. A good rule to follow is to change the batteries in your smoke detector in the spring and in the fall when you change your clocks.
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• - If the smoke detector "chirps" it is alerting you that the batteries are low and should be replaced immediately. Don’t use rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries won’t cause the smoke detector to "chirp" when discharged.
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• - Clean the detector monthly by vacuuming to remove dust and cobwebs allowing proper airflow through the vents.
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• - Replace any smoke detector that is more than 10 years old.