There are many cases of home fire-related happened that caused deaths mostly happens because of electrical fires, ignition of upholstered furniture, or unattended cooking. The common reason for the majority of these tragedies is either the lack of a smoke alarm or a smoke alarm that doesn’t work.
People in homes without smoke alarms are more than twice more likely to die when something bad is going to happen than those in homes with working smoke alarms. In house fires where the smoke alarms did not sound, it was discovered that half of them had missing or disconnected batteries. In this article, you will learn how smoke alarms work, how to properly install and maintain them can help save lives.
How does a smoke alarm work?
Smoke alarms are of two types which are ionic and photoelectric. When smoke enters the chambers of an ionization detecting smoke alarm, it disrupts the ionization process and triggers the alarm. Although perfectly safe when installed in your home, the nature of some components inside an ionic smoke detector require appropriate disposal. Instead of throwing an ionic detector directly into the trash, please call the waste management service or the manufacturer of the ionic smoke alarm for proper disposal instructions in your area.
Photoelectric smoke alarms are simpler in design. When smoke enters the chamber, components within the device send an electric current, triggering the alarm. Of the two types of smoke detectors, ionic alarms are far more sensitive than photoelectric ones. Even something as ordinary as steam from boiling water can trigger an ionic smoke alarm. Ionic smoke detectors also detect fast-spreading, low smoke fires more easily.
What smoke alarm should you choose?
Always look for smoke alarms listed with UL and if a member of your home has difficulty in hearing, consider purchasing a smoke detector that produces flashing lights or vibrations in addition to a loud noise to signal an emergency.
Where to install the smoke alarms?
Where you should install your smoke detectors is equally important. That’s why we suggest you ask the help of a professional who can install it at your place. Here are the tips for installing the smoke detector:
- Place smoke alarms outside each sleeping area, inside any bedroom where the door is typically shut and on every story of the house, including the basement.
- Install wall-mounted smoke alarms 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling, and ceiling-mounted models at least 4 inches from the nearest wall.
Properly maintaining the smoke alarms is important:
Smoke alarm safety only works when alarms are properly maintained. The following tips will help ensure your smoke alarms remain in proper working order:
- Test units monthly.
- Install new batteries immediately when the low-battery warning alarm sounds or at least once a year.
- Clean smoke alarms regularly by vacuuming them with a brush attachment.
- Replace smoke alarms every 10 years to achieve optimum performance.
Smoke alarms are essential to protecting the people in your house from home fires. No matter the cause of the fire or its location, properly functioning smoke alarms are there to help alert everyone to the presence of fire in time to evacuate safely. These life-saving devices are affordable, easily purchased online or in most local retail stores, and only require a few minutes of maintenance each month.
