Where should A Smoke Alarm Detector Be Installed

Smoke alarms are required to be located so that they detect smoke before the smoke reaches the sleeping occupants. The sound level emitted by the smoke alarm is designed to wake sleeping occupants to give them time to escape from the building.

In residential dwellings, villas, townhouses, apartments and units etc, smoke alarms should be installed in every storey, as summarised below.

In storeys containing bedrooms, smoke alarms are to be located on or near the ceiling

• in every corridor or hallway associated with a bedroom, or
• if there is no corridor or hallway, between the part of the building containing the bedroom and the remainder of the building, dwelling or unit
  
  In a dwelling, apartment or unit where bedrooms are grouped together and connected to the living areas by a corridor or hallway the smoke alarm should be located as shown below.
  
  
  
  
  
  In dwellings where the bedrooms are separated and not grouped together, then smoke alarms should be located as shown below.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A smoke alarm should be installed in every storey which does not contain bedrooms. In these storeys, a smoke alarm should be located in the path of travel in which the occupants will most likely take to escape from the building. This will ensure that the alarm is sounded before the smoke prevents the occupants from escaping from the building. If the bedrooms are located on the first floor or upper floor level, then the smoke alarm should be located near the area of the interconnecting stair, as shown below.