How many should I have?
It is important for every household to have at least one smoke detector; however, more is optimal. The quicker the smoke detector senses the smoke, the quicker you will know about it and the more time you and your family will have to act appropriately or evacuate to safety. The Poway Fire Department recommends that every home have a smoke detector in each hallway leading to bedrooms, in each bedroom itself, and on every level of the home. The Uniform Building Code requires a smoke alarm inside each sleeping area for new construction. Smoke detectors can be powered by either battery or "hard-wired" into your home's electrical system with a battery back-up in case of a power failure. The best system is to have all of the smoke detectors in your home hard-wired with battery back up and inner-connected (when 1 smoke alarm goes off, all smoke alarms sound at once). Smoke alarms are not recommended for kitchens or garages.

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1. What type of alarm should I buy?
2. How many should I have?
3. Where should I place them?
4. How often should I change the battery in my smoke detector?
5. When do I need to replace my smoke detector?
6. How and when should I test my smoke detector?