In England, smoke alarms are required on every floor of a home. The kitchen and living room need heat or smoke alarms; hallways and landings are most critical.
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The minimum legal requirement in England: a smoke alarm on every floor of your home and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance. For a 3-bedroom house, this typically means: a smoke alarm in the hallway on the ground floor, a smoke alarm on the landing upstairs, and a heat alarm (not smoke) in the kitchen (smoke alarms in kitchens cause too many false alarms from cooking). Best practice adds: a smoke alarm in the living room, a smoke alarm in each bedroom (recommended for sleeping safety). Best placement: on the ceiling, in the centre of the room or hallway. Keep alarms at least 30cm away from walls and light fittings. Don't put smoke alarms in the bathroom (steam causes false alarms) or within 30cm of a light fitting. Test monthly using the test button. Replace batteries annually (unless it's a 10-year sealed unit). Replace the whole unit every 10 years.