(1) At least one smoke alarm must be installed in each of the following locations: (i) To protect both the living area and kitchen space. Manufacturers are encouraged to locate the alarm in the living area remote from the kitchen and cooking appliances.
ACalifornia law requires that every ”dwelling intended for human occupancy” have smoke alarms.
Effective January 1, 2023
The updated law requires Illinois residents to replace their old smoke alarms with the type that has a long-term, 10-year sealed battery. This would apply to residents that are still using alarms with removable batteries or alarms that are not hardwire.
Smoke detectors aren't recommended in kitchens or bathrooms or close proximity due to false alarms. If you want one in the kitchen put a heat detector. Actually a decent bit of fires start in bedrooms due to smoking, candles and space heaters. The nfpa code that was cited earlier is correct.
(1) Each dwelling unit shall have smoke detector devices approved by the board and installed in the immediate vicinity but outside of all sleeping rooms. Alarm signaling devices shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms within the dwelling unit when all intervening doors are closed.
In California, effective January 1, 2013, smoke alarms are required in all one- or two-unit dwellings, lodging houses, apartment complexes, hotels, motels, condominiums, stock cooperatives, time-share projects, dwelling units of a multiple-unit dwelling complexes, and factory-built housing.
Landlords/Owners are required to install working Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms for tenants & test them monthly. Extinguishers must be in the kitchen and the common areas of the building on each level. Exit signs should be lit and tested monthly. Keep halls & stairs adequately lit and free of obstruction.
Smoke alarms should be installed at least 10 feet (3 meters) from a cooking appliance to minimize false alarms when cooking. Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises).
Smoke alarms are ideal for most rooms, but kitchens are different as they can be smoky and steamy rooms, therefore a heat alarm is recommended. Unlike smoke alarms, heat alarms detect rapid temperature changes, avoiding false alarms from cooking steam or smoke, e.g. burnt toast.
(a) Every dwelling unit or hotel shall be equipped with at least one approved smoke detector in an operating condition within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping purposes.
In smaller businesses or office settings, OSHA may not explicitly require installing a fire alarm system if other fire safety measures are in place. For example, companies may rely on training employees in evacuation procedures, having accessible fire extinguishers, and clearly marking exit routes.
Photoelectric smoke detectors are best at detecting the large particles typical of smoky, smoldering fires, but they're poor at detecting fast, flaming fires. These units are less prone to false alarms from burnt food, so they may be better around kitchens.
The NFPA requires a smoke alarm on every level and outside each sleeping area in existing construction. An existing household with one level and one sleeping area Is required to have one smoke alarm.
Heat Detectors
Heat detectors alert occupants when the heat in the room reaches a certain temperature. It's advisable to install heat detectors in rooms that are prone to smoke and dust such as kitchens and garages because they will not trigger a false alert due to cooking fumes or exhaust smoke.
Kitchen areas
You don't want a smoke detector too close to kitchen appliances, but a large number of fires start in kitchens so it's a very good idea to have one nearby to quickly sense any issues.
Many people ask what is the best fire extinguisher to use in the kitchen… The answer is you can use either a dry powder fire extinguisher which has a blue coloured label,or a CO2 fire extinguisher which has a black label.
The No. 1 cause of all cooking fires is leaving the stove unattended. Because cooking is something that is done daily, it's easy to forget how dangerous it is to heat grease or oil at a high temperature. People oftentimes walk away from a hot stove “just for a minute” — and that “minute” can turn deadly.
Smoke and fire alarm must-knows
Smoke alarms are not suitable for kitchens but heat alarms are. Fitting a heat alarm in your kitchen will give you warning of an increase in temperature caused by a fire but will not be set off by cooking fumes.
Buy a photoelectric smoke alarm.
Photoelectric units are less sensitive to small smoke particles so they are more resistant to cooking vapors.
In addition, California has laws requiring smoke detectors in certain residential facilities. If a landlord fails to follow the law, and a tenant is harmed, the tenant can sue for damages.
Section 3721.071 | Home must be equipped with both automatic fire extinguishing and fire alarm systems. The buildings in which a home is housed shall be equipped with both an automatic fire extinguishing system and fire alarm system.
Roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present. The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.