How do I prevent false alarms?
Smoke alarms are very sensitive and may detect smoke, heat and moisture created by common household activities such as burning toast or bathroom steam.
To reduce the likelihood of false alarms, a smoke alarm should not be located near:
- Cooking appliances or stove tops
- Doorways to bathrooms and laundries or other damp and humid areas
- Water heaters, space heaters or fireplaces
- Heating and cooling duct outlets, ceiling fans, doors and windows as excessive air movement may prevent smoke from reaching the smoke alarm
- Fluorescent light fittings to avoid the effect of electrical noise or flickering lights
- Doorways and windows where barbecues and incinerators are located