10. NFPA Required Protection
The National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 72 provides the following
information:
Smoke Detection - Where required by applicable laws, codes, or standards
for a specific type of occupancy, approved single- and multiple-station
smoke alarms shall be installed as follows:
(1) In all sleeping rooms and guest rooms
(2) Outside of each separate dwelling unit sleeping area, within 6.4 m (21 ft)
of any door to a sleeping room, the distance measured along a path of travel
(3) On every level of a dwelling unit, including basements
(4) On every level of a residential board and care occupancy (small facility),
including basements and excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics
(5) In the living area(s) of a guest suite
(6) In the living area(s) of a residential board and care occupancy (small facility)
Are More Smoke Alarms Desirable? The required number of smoke alarms
might not provide reliable early warning protection for those areas separated
by a door from the areas protected by the required smoke alarms. For this
reason, the use of additional smoke alarms for those areas for increased pro-
tection is recommended. The additional areas include the basement, bed-
rooms, dining room, furnace room, utility room, and hallways not protected
by the required smoke alarms. The installation of smoke alarms in kitchens,
attics (finished or unfinished), or garages is not normally recommended,
because these locations occasionally experience conditions that can result in
improper operation.
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