Imagine laying in your nice, cozy bed fast asleep. Your kids have been put to bed hours ago. You wake up and decide to get out of bed to get a glass of water. You walk out of your bedroom to the bathroom down the hall and stop. You smell and see smoke, but your detectors haven’t alerted you…
The Importance of Smoke Detectors
While many people understand the importance of having a smoke detector, many don’t have one or don’t regularly check the batteries. During the holiday season, there is an average of 200 fires started by Christmas trees per year. Always maintain smoke detectors for the early warning they provide. The one time you don’t could be a costly mistake.
They should be placed on every level of the house, including basements and attics. If you can’t place them in each bedroom, place one in the hallway and at the top of the stairs. Also, place one in the kitchen and one in the living room. All alarms must be placed 10 feet away from cooking appliances to minimize false alarms.
Types of Smoke Detectors
There are three types of smoke detectors: dual-sensor, ionization, and photoelectric. Dual-sensors use both ionization and photoelectric technology which detect different types of fires. Ionization responds more to flaming fires, such as grease from a stove. Photoelectric fire detectors respond to fires that have a long period of smoldering. An example of a smoldering fire would be one that is started by an electric blanket.
Smoke detectors need to be completely replaced every 10 years. When you replace your old ones, upgrade with a new interconnected system. Thus, when one goes off, all of the other alarms around the house sound off as well. There are also smart smoke alarms available on the market as well.
If you need assistance upgrading your home’s smoke detectors, contact Tim Kyle Electric. We provide residential electrical service in Sykesville and the greater Baltimore area. Your life depends on a functional smoke detector, so don’t spend another day trusting one that is out of date.