Tips on Fire Alarms

Types

• Two types of smoke alarms are used: ionization and photoelectric. Ionization alarms are more sensitive to flames while photoelectric alarms are more sensitive to smoldering fires. Households should have both types of alarms to detect both types of fires, but keep photoelectric alarms away from the kitchen as they are likely to go off when something burns.

Location

• The National Fire Protection Association recommends at least one smoke alarm on each floor of the house. Each bedroom should be equipped with an alarm as well as one outside each sleeping area. Because smoke rises, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety recommends that they be installed on the ceiling or as near to the ceiling as possible.

Maintenance

• Smoke alarms must be maintained monthly. Perform tests on all smoke alarms in the house, and replace batteries that may be dead. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recommends vacuuming the inside of battery-powered units with a soft-bristled brush to remove dust, which can affect an alarm's performance. If you find that one alarm has been disconnected because it is too near the kitchen and has become a "nuisance alarm," replace it with an alarm that comes equipped with a button to silence it. A disconnected smoke alarm will not protect you or your family in the event of a fire.

Options

• You can have your smoke alarms interconnected so they all go off when one goes off. Such a system requires that the smoke alarms be hardwired into the home's electrical system. A licensed electrician will have to connect the alarms in such a way, and they will still have to be tested every month. Instead of purchasing separate photoelectric and ionization alarms, you can purchase a slightly more expensive alarm that combines both technologies; these are called dual sensor alarms.