Fire Department
Home Smoke Alarms
Key Contact
Chad Moyer
610-374-8273 Ext. 223
It’s a Fact: Smoke Alarms Save Lives
The majority of fatal home fires happen at night when people are asleep. Smoke alarms give you time to escape.
Many of the homes that we visit during the year either do not have batteries in their alarms or they have no alarms at all. Please contact the fire station if you have questions about smoke alarms or if you need assistance with changing your batteries. We can evaluate your home to determine the best location and how many detectors you will need.
We have new smoke alarms for sale at a cost of $10 each installed, and we also have new “10-year” smoke detector batteries at a cost of $10. Call (610) 372-9621 for more information.
Choosing an Alarm
- Be sure the smoke alarm you buy bears the label of an independent testing lab.
- Some alarms run on household current and include battery backup, which require professional installation.
- Some alarms run just on batteries, which you can usually install yourself.
- “Long-life” alarms have “10-year” batteries that are intended to last the life of the smoke alarm.
- Some alarms have a “hush” button so you can silence them if cooking fumes, or steam sets off a “nuisance alarm”. These models re-activate automatically after 8-10 minutes.
- For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, some alarms flash a strobe-like light.
- Choose alarms with a test button so you can check they’re working.
Placement of Alarms
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, in every bedroom, and outside each sleeping area.
- Make sure everyone can hear and recognize the alarm sound. If bedroom doors are closed at night, consider interconnected alarms so all sound together.
- Know how your child responds to alarms—some may not wake up to the sound.
- On floors without bedrooms, place alarms in living rooms and/or near stairways to upper levels.
- Avoid placing alarms within three feet of bathroom doors or in areas with extreme temperatures.
- Use photoelectric alarms with a “hush” feature if located within 20 feet of the kitchen.
- Mount alarms high on walls or ceilings, since smoke rises.
Install & Maintain Alarms
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Install most battery-powered and plug-in alarms using only a drill and a screwdriver. Plug-in alarms must have restraining devices at the plug.
- Have a qualified electrician install alarms that are hard-wired into your house wiring.
- Never connect an alarm to a circuit that can be turned off from a wall switch.
- Always save and follow the manufacturer’s instruction for testing and maintenance.
- Test alarms at least monthly.
- Replace batteries at least once a year, for example, when you set the clocks back in the fall, or whenever an alarm “chirps” to indicate the battery is low.
- Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.
- Consider installing smoke alarms with a “long life” (10-year) battery. These alarms must also be tested at least once a month.
- Clean your alarms regularly, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- You can sometimes use a vacuum cleaner without removing the alarm’s cover.
- Never paint a smoke alarm.
Wall Mounting
- Position the top of the alarm 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling.
Ceiling Mounting
- Position alarms at least 4 inches away from the nearest wall.
- In a room with a pitched ceiling, mount the alarm at or near the ceiling’s highest point.
- Basement alarms should be located near the stairway leading to the floor above.
- Don’t mount an alarm within three feet of a forced-air supply register.
How to Test your Smoke Alarm
Press and hold the test button on the smoke detector. It can take a few seconds to begin, but a loud ear-piercing siren should emanate from the smoke detector while the button is pressed. If the sound is weak or nonexistent, replace your batteries.
