ALARM LIMITATIONS
LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE ALARMS
Alarms reduce deaths resulting from home fires
worldwide. However smoke alarms can only
work if they are properly located, installed and
maintained, and if smoke reaches the alarms.
• Smoke alarms may not waken all individuals.
Make sure you create an escape plan and you
practice fire drills with all members of the family.
• Smoke alarms cannot work without power.
If they are powered by batteries, the smoke
alarms cannot work if the batteries are missing,
dead or disconnected. If they are wired, the
smoke alarms cannot work during a long power
outage once the back up battery is dead. Nest
Protect will warn you in advance when batteries
are running low so that you can replace them.
• Smoke will not be able to reach the smoke
sensor while the dust cover is in place. The dust
cover must be removed.
• Smoke alarms cannot detect fires if the smoke
does not reach the alarms. For example, if a
door is closed, smoke may not reach the smoke
alarm. This is why you should have a smoke
alarm in each bedroom and in the hallways as
bedroom doors may be closed at night.
• Smoke alarms may not be heard. Although
the smoke alarm comes with a loud horn of
85 decibels, it may not be heard if : 1) people
have consumed alcohol or drugs, 2) the alarm
is drowned by noise from a stereo, TV, traffic,
air conditioner or other appliances, 3) residents
are hearing impaired or have high frequency
hearing loss associated with ageing. Special
smoke alarms should be installed for those
who are hearing impaired.
• This smoke alarm is not intended to alert
SAFETY
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