Smoke detectors are designed to work in the background to keep you and your family safe. As a fire safety protection device, they are an essential component that needs to be installed correctly. Take it from the best residential electrician Adams County has to offer: check your smoke detectors regularly!
How Do Smoke Detectors Work?
Smoke detectors work in one of two ways. Some ionize the air and then use electricity to pull smoke particles onto detectors. If the detectors detect enough particles, an alarm sounds. This kind of smoke detector is best at detecting the small black particles from fast-burning, flaming fires. Another type uses light to detect the presence of smoke particles. Particles will reflect light while the clean air normally doesn’t. This kind of detector is best at detecting the large, white smoke particles produced by slow-burning, smoldering fires. Smoke detectors save lives and prevent property damage by detecting fires early. For best protection, you need both types of detectors, especially if you own a business.
Speaking of best protection: consider smart smoke detectors. Smart detectors test their own sensors and batteries, alerting you by phone when there’s a problem. They can also alert you by phone to any fire that occurs while you are out of the home. If they are connected to smart home features, they can even use some of those features to detect fires even faster. Smart smoke detectors provide the highest level of protection, and are a must for modern businesses.
While you should always check the instructions for your brand, testing most smoke detectors is very simple. All you have to do is press and hold the Test button. A loud alarm should sound within a few seconds. If it does not, or if the sound is weak, replace the batteries if you have a battery-operated model. If you have a hardwired model, a lack of sound may indicate the alarm is broken.
Residential Electrician Adams County
If you want to make sure your Adams County home or business is as well-protected from fire, contact Tim Kyle Electric. Safety is our priority. No matter your space, we’ll get your fire alarms installed and functioning properly. We will also provide instructions on how to maintain and monitor them over time.