Home > Smoke Alarms Information > Smoke Alarms Questions > do smoke alarms work when fixed to the wall instead if the ceiling?

do smoke alarms work when fixed to the wall instead if the ceiling?

Public Comments

  1. it would work either way. I just depends on where you install it.
  2. The point of installing it on the ceiling, facing down, is that this is the optimum place for smoke to enter the detector – triggering off the alarm. This is because smoke is hot, less dense that surrounding air, so it rises and very quickly hits the ceiling. It will flow straight into any smoke detector on the ceiling so this is the best place to put it. If you want to put it on a wall, this is not as good a place for detecting smoke but if it is high up, it should be good enough. :) Just bare in mind that it will take a little more time for smoke to trigger the alarm if it is vertical against a wall instead of horizontal on a ceiling. The decision is up to you.
  3. most smoke alarms are mounted on the wall yes they work fine
  4. Yes, but don't put it within 4" of the ceiling. This is a "dead air" space. If you put a smoke detector on the wall, go down 6" and you will be fine.
  5. mount your smoke detector 12" down from the ceiling on the wall.On our rental properties when section 8 and the inspectors made us move them from the ceiling to the wall before they would approve the houses it has something to do with the way the smoke goes up the wall