Smoke Alarms

Smoke Alarms The single most important means of preventing fire fatalities

Tips & Regulations

  • Working smoke alarms double your chances of surviving a house fire.
  • Most fatal fires occur when occupants are asleep.
  • New Jersey Fire Code requires that every home has a working smoke alarm installed on each level. The Cherry Hill Fire Prevention Ordinance requires smoke alarms to be installed in bedrooms as well.
  • Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
  • Smoke alarms should be tested monthly, following the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Do not install alarms in kitchens, garages, unfinished attics or directly outside bathrooms.

Where smoke alarms should be installed

  • At least 1 working smoke alarm on each level of the home.
  • Recommended 1 working smoke alarm in every bedroom or anywhere a person sleeps (this is required by ordinance in Cherry Hill, New Jersey).
  • All smoke alarms should be UL-217 approved, the "UL Listed" rating clearly on the alarm and box.
  • Mount alarm on the ceiling or high on a wall.
  • Don't mount within 4 inches of the corner of the ceiling.
  • Don't install near vents, ceiling fans, windows or doors, as these can create drafts that may keep the alarm from working properly.
  • Installation is not recommended in the kitchen, garage, attic, near a bathroom, or other unheated spaces as cooking, exhaust fumes, temperature differences and steam can cause false alarms.
Where to Mount Smoke Alarms

Do You Have Working Smoke Alarms?

It is our goal to ensure that every home in Cherry Hill has working smoke alarms. Battery-powered smoke alarms, obtained through a federal grant, are available at no cost to any household within the township of Cherry Hill (while supplies last). If you do not have working smoke alarms or are unsure if your alarms are working, please call the Fire Marshal's Office at 856-429-7441 and ask about our Home Smoke Alarm Program. A CHFD representative will evaluate the level of existing protection within your home and install smoke alarms as necessary.

Homes constructed after 1977 are required to be equipped with hardwired (electric) smoke alarms. CHFD cannot replace hardwired smoke alarms with battery powered alarms within these homes.

Residential Smoke Alarm Inspections

When selling your home in Cherry Hill, it is required that a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm inspection be conducted by the Fire Marshal's Office prior to the settlement date. Please visit Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Detector Inspections for details on what to expect from the home inspection and complete the smoke alarm inspection request form to schedule an inspection.