Where should a smoke alarm be installed? Where shouldn't it be installed?

The sense of smell is not active for people and animals when asleep, and even two to four breaths of poisonous fumes can result in significant brain damage or death. This is why it’s important that a smoke alarm be installed in every bedroom. The alarm should be placed on the ceiling, preferably in the center of the room.

Additionally, an alarm should monitor all escape routes like hallways and stairwells every four to six meters. Additional protection can be obtained by also installing smoke alarms in rooms that are not used for sleeping or as escape routes, for example in the living and dining rooms. Smoke alarms do not belong in the kitchen or bathroom where environmental influences like large amounts of steam can lead to unwanted false alarms. The hallway outside the kitchen is an appropriate location for a smoke alarm, as the alarm will only be triggered in emergency situations because of the distance from as well as the closeness to the cooking area (stove). Generally, one alarm should be installed for every 25 square meters of floor space. In doing so, the distance between the units should be less than 6 meters whenever possible.

“There is zero visibility in a room filled with smoke – you can’t even see your hand held in front of your eyes, let alone the exit door. This is why it’s important to become aware of a fire in time – so that you can escape.”
Wolfgang Weiden, Head of Operations – Bergisch Gladbach Fire Department