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Risks of Smoke Alarms

You would normally associate smoke alarms with safety, but an old or improperly installed smoke detector can be dangerous. According to the U.S. Fire Administration website, studies show that when a working smoke alarm is present, the risk of dying in a fire is cut in half. Unfortunately, studies also show that one-third of smoke alarms present in homes do not work. To ensure your safety in the event of a fire, you need to ensure your smoke alarms are as risk-free and up-to-date as possible, positioned correctly and operating efficiently.

  1. Types of Smoke Alarms

    • Two popular types of smoke alarms that are effective in detecting different types of fires in various areas of the home are ionization and photelectronic-ionization. Ionization alarms detect fast-flaming fires with high heat and low smoke, whereas photoelectronic alarms detect low-heat, smoldering fires. Ionization alarms with silencing features are helpful for areas near kitchens where heat can trigger the alarm with no real present danger. Having the right alarms reduces the risk of fire damage to you and your home.

    Amount and Positioning of Smoke Alarms

    • Avoid putting smoke alarms in areas that are too hot or cold for electronics to work properly, such as kitchens and attics. Place a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside every additional sleeping area and on every level of the home for safety alerts. Since smoke rises, it is best to place smoke alarms on the ceilings or on the walls about 4 to 6 inches from the ceiling to avoid the risk of not being informed of a fire in a timely manner. You also can hard wire your alarms to all sound off simultaneously throughout the house.

    Testing and Maintenance of Smoke Alarms

    • It is important to test your smoke alarm monthly and replace the batteries at least yearly to keep it functioning and ready if there should be a fire. The alarm will make a chirping noise when the battery needs to be replaced, and you can hold down the testing button on your alarm to make sure it sounds. There are other ways to test the functioning of your system, such as the can of smoke test, which can be found in hardware stores. Sometimes, the batteries are functioning, but the detector cannot detect smoke. There also are tests available that test the sensitivity of smoke detectors. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends replacing your entire smoke alarm every 10 years; there are long-life smoke alarms with lithium batteries that usually last up to 10 years. Proper maintenance of your smoke alarm is an important step in keeping your family safe.

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Smoke Detectors
  1. Tips on Fire Alarms
  2. What Are Smoke Alarms?
  3. How to Check Smoke Alarms
  4. Ionization Vs. Photoelectric Smoke Alarms
  5. Smoke Detector Information
  6. Location of Smoke Alarms
  7. How to Wire Smoke Alarms
  8. Children & Smoke Alarms
  9. Use of Radioactivity in Smoke Alarms
  10. Smoke Detector Instructions
  11. Smoke Alarm Vs. Smoke Detector
  12. The Risks of Not Using Smoke Alarms

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