Is It Okay To Mount Smoke Detectors On Walls

Many smoke detectors are designed to mount to a ceiling but some can also be wall mounted when attaching to a ceiling isn t feasible.

Is it okay to mount smoke detectors on walls. If you must mount the smoke detector on the wall it should be placed less than 12 inches away from the ceiling. Certain detectors will not work if mounted to a wall while others will only work properly if mounted to certain locations on a wall. Wall mounted alarms should be installed not more than 12 inches away from the ceiling to the top of the alarm. Smoke detectors must be mounted in an optimal place to perform the vital function of alerting the occupants of a building when smoke is present indicating a fire has started.

Install smoke detectors on the ceiling. Avoid corners where the walls meet the ceiling and where pockets of dead air sometimes form preventing rising smoke from reaching the detector. Connect multiple detectors when possible so that all alarms will sound when smoke is detected. Wall mounted detectors must be installed at least 4 inches from the ceiling to avoid this dead air zone.

Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings remember smoke rises. If you have ceilings that are pitched install the alarm within 3 feet of the peak but not within the apex of the peak four inches down from the peak. Wall mounted alarms should be installed not more than 12 inches away from the ceiling to the top of the alarm. Don t install the detector.

Install detectors on or as near to the ceiling as possible.