Protect Your Home and Family With Smoke Detectors

10/9/2019 (Permalink)

Photoelectric alarms detect different types of fires

A smoke alarm can save your Tullytown, PA, home from major fire damage. It can also keep your family safe. In fact, a functioning smoke alarm can reduce your risk of dying in a house fire by 50 percent.
Smoke detectors alert you and your family to the presence of a fire. You can then get out of the house and call for help immediately. The sooner you call 911, the faster firefighters will arrive. They can stop the blaze before it spreads too far, limiting the need for major fire cleanup in your home.

Types of Alarms

There are three basic types of smoke alarms. They are:

• Photoelectric alarms
  
• Ionization alarms
  
• Dual-sensor alarms
  
  

Since ionization and photoelectric alarms detect different types of fires, the U.S. Fire Administration recommends including both of these Or, you can opt for dual-sensor alarms, which include both photoelectric and ionization sensors.
Regardless of which type you choose, you should place a smoke alarm inside and outside each bedroom of your home. Make sure there is at least one detector on each floor, including the basement. The detectors should all be connected. When one alarm sounds, the others should go off, as well.

Changing the Batteries

A malfunctioning smoke detector is essentially useless. To make sure your alarm is working properly, be sure to test it every month. If your detector has a nine-volt battery, make sure to change it annually.
Some detectors are hardwired directly into your house's electric system. These alarms have backup batteries that should also be replaced each year.
Newer smoke alarms come with long-lasting lithium batteries that cannot be changed. However, all detectors should be replaced every 10 years.
While fire damage cleanup professionals can help restore your home after a fire, you should take steps to avoid a massive blaze in your home. A working smoke alarm in each bedroom can help you do just that.