Fire Safety, Smart Home

Siting of Smoke, Heat & CO

Smoke alarm siting guidance

Flat ceilings:

  • Site at least 300mm from walls.
  • Site at least 300mm from any light fittings.
  • Site as centrally as

Flat ceilings with beams

  • Site at least twice the depth  of  the beam away e.g. 150mm beam depth:  site the alarm at least 300mm away from the beam.
  • If depth of beam is greater than 10% of the ceiling height, the beam should be treated as a wall (alarms need to be on either side of the beam).

Pitched roof

  • Site at no more than 600mm horizontally from apex.

Wall mounted

  • The top of the detection element is between 150mm and 300mm below the ceiling.
  • Site at least 300mm from a perpendicular

Heat alarm siting guidance:

Flat ceiling:

  • Site at least 300mm from walls.
  • Site at least 300mm from any light fittings.

Flat ceilings with beams

  • Site at least twice the depth of the beam away

e.g. 150mm beam depth: site the alarm at least 300mm away from the beam.

  • It is important that heat alarms are installed in the centre of the room with attention that they are not located to close to stoves and
  • If depth of beam is greater than 10% of the ceiling height, the beam should be treated as a wall (alarms need to be on either side of the beam).

Pitched roof

  • Site at no more than 600mm horizontally from apex.

Carbon Monoxide alarm siting guidance:

When installing a CO alarm in a room where there is an appliance fitted

Ceiling mounted:

  • Site at least 150mm from walls.
  • Site at least 300mm from light fittings.
  • Site between 1 to 3 metres from the fuel- burning appliance.

If the room has a partition, site the alarm on the side of the appliance.

Wall mounted in a bedroom:

  • Site close to the ceiling but at least 150mm down, (above the height of any door or window).
  • Site at least 300mm from a perpendicular
  • Site between 1 to 3 metres from the fuel-burning

When installing a CO alarm in a room where there is no appliance fitted

Wall mounted

  • Site at the breathing height of the occupants (bed height).
  • Site at the breathing height of the occupants (seated height).