Real Estate Community Forum

I went to the hardware store the other day and came across some literature about the importance of having smoke detectors in your home. I am embarrassed to report than I don't have any in my house and I've been living there for almost eight years. I should probably buy a few of them since I have a big house, but where is the best place to put a smoke detector? In the hallway or should I place one inside each of the bedrooms?

Buying a smoke detector is one of the smartest things you'll ever do to protect your home. The best place for a smoke detector is on the ceiling close to the sleeping area, which is why I place my smoke detector in the hallway where the bedrooms run off. In addition, I place a smoke detector in the kitchen because that's where the cooking takes place and we all know the kitchen is one of the first places where a fire can start. The other place is in my living room. One of the reasons I placed a smoke detector there is because of the electrical gadgets such as the TV, VCR, DVD, Stereo are all there. So I have a total of three smoke detectors. One in the hallway, kitchen and living room.

If you are building your house or can access the attic, the very best thing you can install is smoke detectors that are powered by your house electricity. These have a battery backup in case of power failure, but operate with only a tiny bit of power, making them extremely cost effective.

Placement is decided by the County in my area. Each bedroom (wherever the smoke starts, it will kill you when you are asleep) and the kitchen. Realistically, wherever a fire may start and not be noticed in its early stages is a good location for a warning device. A garage, equipment shed, basement, detached apartment or suite.

Imagine a fire starting and whether the smoke will reach you before the flames are uncontrollable when you are awake. Sleeping time is when you can miss the beginning of a fire threat. This is especially true if you take sleeping aids or have trouble breathing when asleep. Any system should be loud enough to be heard where you sleep, or might take a nap. That can be a problem in a basement or attic that is far away, so keep that in mind.

If you plan to keep an outbuilding or distant room completely safe, you might consider a central system with an alarm that sounds in all locations if smoke is detected. Home protection services can install one of these as part of a whole package. Whether battery operated or powered, smoke detectors need checking regularly. Once a year just push the button to see that it is operating well. Besides being a good safety check, it will keep you familiar with the location of the buttons on the detectors.

I remember when a candle set one off that was poorly adjusted during a party. Since I didn’t know where the shut-off was, I had to open windows like a crazy person and wave a towel at the darned thing to get it to shut up. For safety and to keep the party rolling, it is better to know the equipment.

The best place to put smoke detectors are in your bed room. I also had smoke detectors installed in my home- one in the bedroom and the other in the entertainment room.