Everyone wants to have a safe place for themselves and their families in which to live. It is smart to take safety measures in order to prevent dangerous situations, and in worse case scenarios- to provide a warning to loved ones of possible danger. Fire is a potential risk that can affect any construction regardless of how costly it is or where it is placed.
In the United States, fire is to blame for over 3,500 casualties yearly according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In addition to deaths, fire is also the cost for more than 18,000 injuries. One of the most accurate ways to help prevent the number of injuries and deaths in relation to fire is to have a home security system in place to let the people know should a fire start. Therefore, it is important to install up to date smoke detectors in homes and offices.
Smoke Detectors for Home Security
Smoke detectors may not prevent fires from starting, but they may serve a very important purpose. The most obvious benefit of a smoke detector is to alert people of smoke and possible fire in the home or building. A perfectly operational smoke detector will trigger an alert when it detects smoke, resulting in people being surprised by the presence of a fire and gives them a chance to safely evacuate the area. A smoke detector can extremely reduce the possibility of injury or deaths due to both smoke inhalation and the fire itself. by alerting the family so that they can evacuate the home, it also provides the opportunity to call the fire department so they can make it to the location as swiftly as possible.
Which Smoke Detector Should You Get?
Smoke detectors are pretty inexpensive and are available for purchase at places such as hardware, home improvement depots, and most big box stores. In a lot of homes, at least one smoke detector should be installed on every floor and placed in a location that is high up on a wall. When buying a smoke detector for home security, people have three types to choose from–photoelectric, ionization, and dual technology detectors. The difference between these detector lies in the type of smoke that they detect. Ionization smoke detectors are most useful when it comes to detecting fast and flaming fires, like kitchen fires for example. Bigger fires are best detected by photoelectric alarms. A dual-technology detector contains a smoke detecting technology of both ionization and photoelectric alarms. For the best results, a dual-technology detector is the most effective, otherwise, a home should have both photoelectric and ionization alarms placed.
In addition to different kind of smoke detectors, there are different power sources as well. Some smoke detectors are connected directly to the electrical system of the house. Better known as the hard-wired detector and even though running on electricity they have a battery for back-up in the event of a power outage. Hard-wired alarms must be placed by a licensed electrical technician. Smoke detectors that operate on batteries only are also very common. These needs either a long-life battery or a 9-volt battery. Whatever the power source or the kind of smoke detector that an individual installs in his or her home, it is needed to be maintained properly.
How to Care for Smoke Detectors
A perfectly maintained detector will ensure that it is in good working condition and able to detect a fire if needed. There are numerous things that must be accomplished to maintain them. One is to complete a monthly check to make sure it is functioning properly. It can be done by pressing down the test button that is on the face of the device. In addition to testing the detector, unless it works on long-life lithium batteries, Batteries should be replaced yearly. “Chirping” batteries must be changed as soon as possible. Dust might interfere with some types of smoke detectors. For this reason, it is important to clean the detector with a hand-held vacuum or a vacuum with an attachment at least every six months maintain cleanliness. Regardless of maintenance, it is advised that all smoke detector are replaced after ten years. To find out the age of the smoke detector a person only needs look at the serial number at the base of the detector. It will provide show the month and year that the product was manufactured or when the expiration is.
Functioning smoke detectors are needed when it comes to ensuring home security in case of fires. They are designed to know the presence of smoke in the air, eliminate surprises and minimize the number of deaths caused by smoke inhalation. Thousands of people die from fires yearly. In homes, this often happens because the smoke detector was either faulty or the home was without an alarm at all. To get the most out of your smoke detector and guarantee your home security, a person will need the correct type for their home, and they will need to make sure that it is well maintained.