residential smoke alarm

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dave683

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Does a ceiling mounted residential smoke alarm in a single family dwelling unit need to maintain a minimum distance from a ceiling mounted return air grill? What does NFPA72 say?
 
NFPA 72 11.8.3 States they must be installed in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and also follow 11.8.3.1-11.8.3.5.


11.8.3.5 (1) Does not call out HVAC vents specifically, but, you should read that first. It speaks of ambient conditions. Also look at 11.8.3.5 (3)
 
rcarroll said:
Is there anything in the installation instructions for placement?
I don't have NFPA72
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From Kidde's manual for their i5000 product:

"Smoke alarms should not be installed within 3 ft (.9m) of the following: the
door to a kitchen, the door to a bathroom containing a tub or shower, forced
air supply ducts used for heating or cooling, ceiling or whole house ventilating
fans, or other high air flow areas."
 
gadfly56 said:
From Kidde's manual for their i5000 product:

"Smoke alarms should not be installed within 3 ft (.9m) of the following: the
door to a kitchen, the door to a bathroom containing a tub or shower, forced
air supply ducts used for heating or cooling, ceiling or whole house ventilating
fans, or other high air flow areas."
Click to expand...

That's pretty much how I've seen it over the years too. I feel all the locations stated can cause false alarms, delayed alarm or no alarm and thus should be kept away by at least 3'...

Jim
 
In the past couple of years we have been required to keep smoke detectors a minimum of 3' away from return grilles. I don't have the code reference handy, but I'll locate it and post back.
 
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gadfly56 said:
From Kidde's manual for their i5000 product:

"Smoke alarms should not be installed within 3 ft (.9m) of the following: the
door to a kitchen, the door to a bathroom containing a tub or shower, forced
air supply ducts used for heating or cooling, ceiling or whole house ventilating
fans, or other high air flow areas."
Click to expand...
I do agree with the locations, however, (there is always a however in life), "should not" is not the same as "shall not". Can an inspector enforce a recommendation? ;)
 
rcarroll said:
I do agree with the locations, however, (there is always a however in life), "should not" is not the same as "shall not". Can an inspector enforce a recommendation? ;)
Click to expand...

Picky, picky, picky! However, if you ignore the "should not" the inspector could say you didn't install per the manufacturer's instructions, try again.
 
rcarroll said:
I do agree with the locations, however, (there is always a however in life), "should not" is not the same as "shall not". Can an inspector enforce a recommendation? ;)
Click to expand...

Yes.
2006 RCO based on the IRC


102.4 Referenced codes and standards.
"The codes and standards referenced in this code shall be considered part of the requirements of this code to the prescribed extent of each such reference."

313.1 Smoke alarms.
"All smoke alarms shall be listed and installed in accordance with the provisions of this code and the household fire warning equipment provisions of NFPA 72."

Note the shall in the above two references.
 
Also:
"106.1.2 Manufacturer's installation instructions.

Manufacturer's installation instructions, as required by this code, shall be available on the job site at the time of inspection."
 
so, do you think the terminology "forced air supply ducts" refers to all ducts that are part of a forced air system(supply and return) or just the supply ducts?
 
Rule of thumb is 3 feet but it shoudl be wherever the least amount of air movement is disturbing the area around the detector.
Also if youare placing them on a wall no close than 4 inches from where the wall and ceiling weet and no lower than 12 inches
 
dave683 said:
so, do you think the terminology "forced air supply ducts" refers to all ducts that are part of a forced air system(supply and return) or just the supply ducts?
Click to expand...


Sounds like supply only to me. I would add that there are locations in dwellings where the 3' measurement would be impossible to comply with so some leeway must be given.
 
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