Q. Where is the best location to mount a smoke detector in a bedroom and an exercise room? Is it best to mount it on the ceiling in the center of the room, or close to a corner?
A. Professionally speaking, the best place to put smoke detectors is just inside the doorway entrance in about 12-24 inches inwards on the ceiling, never in a corner. In a centerline with the doors overhead frame jams in 12-24 inches. The reason for this is, when the smoke enters from outside the room, as it spills into the room, it will enter through the doorway. Thus the alarm will catch it as soon as possible. If the detector were in the middle of the room, the smoke would have to travel that far to reach the detector. Valuable time is than lost before the warning alarm goes off. Those lost minutes may mean the difference between time to escape and being trapped inside, or life and death. Practice fire drills. Have a planned escape route and a meeting place outside. Having multiple escape routes is best. If one fails, resort to the other.
If there are kids in the house, they too must know the plans, practice the plans, be provided with the tools needed to break windows, and have escape ladders, if needed. It's best to have a smoke detector in every room if possible, and one in a central hallway, if there is one. If there is an attic, put one in there, and if there is no attic, put one in a basement.
Test smoke detectors monthly and replace batteries yearly. It's cheap insurance.
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