There are some cases and situations where it can be helpful to have a professional install your smoke detectors.
Smoke detectors are usually the first line of fire defense in a home. Their purpose is to alert you to the presence of smoke, even if you’re in an area where you can see that a fire is breaking out or happening. Generally speaking, they are also really easy to install. Most people would never even consider that they might need to have an electrician come out to help them with the process. However, there are some cases and situations where it can be helpful to have a professional install your smoke detectors instead. Read on to learn more.
In Hard-To-Access Areas
One of the most common reasons that people choose to have their smoke detector professionally installed is that they have to go up in hard-to-reach areas of the home. One major benefit of having a professional do the installation is that they already know where the smoke detectors should be placed. For instance, they need to be near cooking areas, but at least 10 feet from the cooking appliances (so that cooking smoke doesn’t cause false alarms. If you have peaked ceilings, the smoke detector needs to be within 3 feet but not closer than 4 inches from the peak. You should use at least one smoke detector on every story of your home, including the basement. Every bedroom should have one, or there should be one in the hallway right outside the sleeping area if the bedrooms are clustered together. There should also be one near every bathroom and one in the laundry room. There should also be one in the kitchen as well.
Hard-Wired Detectors
The other major reasons that many people consider having their smoke detectors installed by a professional is that they have to be hard-wired in. Most smoke detectors on the market to day are not hard-wired. Most are battery operated, and some are completely self-contained so that you don’t even have to change the battery. In those cases, there is nothing electrical to be worried about. But you wouldn’t replace or repair a wall outlet in your home, so you may also not feel comfortable installing a hard-wired smoke detector. While some homeowners have the skill to do it, having a professional who knows all the applicable codes and regulations) is best. A professional will also be able to wire the detectors in series, which is recommended so that if one detector picks up smoke, they all signal. If you’re currently trying to choose between battery-operated or hard-wired smoke detectors, the hard-wired detectors provide some benefits over battery-operated ones, but either is better than nothing. You should always have working smoke detectors in your home.
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