Installation Guide
11
7. Recommended Locations for Smoke Alarms
 • Locate smoke alarms in all sleeping areas. Try to monitor the exit path as the bedrooms are usually farthest from the 
exit. If more than one sleeping area exists, locate additional alarms in each sleeping area.
 • Locate additional alarms to monitor any stairway as stairways act like chimneys for smoke and heat.
 • Locate at least one alarm on every floor level.
 • Locate an alarm in every bedroom.
 • Locate an alarm in every room where electrical appliances are operated (i.e. portable heaters or humidifiers).
 • Locate an alarm in every room where someone sleeps with the door closed. The closed door may prevent an alarm 
not located in that room from waking the sleeper.
 • Smoke, heat, and combustion products rise to the ceiling and spread horizontally. Mounting the smoke alarm on 
the ceiling in the center of the room places it closest to all points in the room. Ceiling mounting is preferred in 
ordinary residential construction.
ANYWHERE ALONG 
THIS BOLD SURFACE
Locations permitted for smoke
alarms and smoke detectors
on tray-shaped ceilings.
ANYWHERE ALONG 
THIS BOLD SURFACE
Locations permitted for smoke
alarms and smoke detectors
on tray-shaped ceilings.
ANYWHERE ALONG 
THIS BOLD SURFACE
Locations permitted for smoke
alarms and smoke detectors
on tray-shaped ceilings.
ANYWHERE ALONG 
THIS BOLD SURFACE
Locations permitted for smoke
alarms and smoke detectors
on tray-shaped ceilings.
ANYWHERE ALONG 
THIS BOLD SURFACE
Locations permitted for smoke
alarms and smoke detectors
on tray-shaped ceilings.
ANYWHERE ALONG 
THIS BOLD SURFACE
Locations permitted for smoke
alarms and smoke detectors
on tray-shaped ceilings.
NFPA 72 states: “Smoke alarms in rooms with ceiling 
slopes greater than 1 ft in 8 ft (.3m in 2.4 m) horizontally 
shall be located on the high side of the room.” NFPA 72 
states: “A row of detectors shall be spaced and located 
within 3 ft (0.9m) of the peak of the ceiling measured 
horizontally.”
Figure 7-A
Figure 7-B Figure 7-C










