How Many Smoke Detectors Should I Have In My Home

11/10/2020 (Permalink)

A Smoke Detector

Top Reasons One Fire Alarm Isn't Enough

The value of smoke detectors has been well established. Experts estimate that having a fire alarm in your house can significantly cut the risk of fire damage or injuries. But many homeowners think just one alarm is enough to reduce the risk. The truth is that not having enough alarms in your West Volusia home can be almost as bad as having none at all. In fact, there are several reasons why one alarm isn’t typically enough.
Public awareness has made fire detectors one of the most common fire-prevention devices in a home. As a result of public awareness efforts:

• As many as 96 percent of American homes are believed to have alarms
• Smoke alarms have contributed to cutting the risk of home fire fatalities by nearly half
  
  

Clearly any alarm is better than none. But to be effective, it’s key that you have more than just one.

One Per Room

It’s natural to think that an alarm in a common area is enough. But experts say at a minimum, you should have one alarm per room. This can help protect your property against fires that can start in unexpected places like bathrooms.

Bigger Means More

A typical detector is only effective for about a 900 square-foot area of a building. Use your home’s measurements when buying detectors. For example, a 2,000 square-foot home should have at least three alarms.

Level Up

Fires that start on one level often result in destruction to other levels of the home. This can be prevented by having detectors on every level, which experts suggest.
Having at least one fire alarm definitely increases your protection against a fire. Take things a step further by equipping your home with the ideal number of alarms. Use these tips or talk to your local fire and smoke damage cleanup experts to learn more about how many alarms your home truly needs.