Selecting The Right First Alert Smoke Alarm

A small fire in your home can quickly fill your home with noxious smoke. It’s vital that you select the proper smoke detector for your home, have them properly installed and perform regular tests on.

Residential smoke smoke alarms come in two types, the first is a photoelectric, and the other is an ionization detector. In a photoelectric detector a bright beam of light is aimed into a chamber containing a photocell. Smoke entering the chamber will scatter the light, enabling some of it to reach the photocell and cause an alarm. A smoldering fire will set off a photoelectric detector quicker than a flaming fire.

The ionization detector has a small amount of a radioactive element that ionizes the air which gives of a tiny electrical charge. When smoke enters this detector, the current is lowered and sets off the alarm.

Which type of detector works best? Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. Many of today’s photoelectric smoke alarm units are wired into your homes electrical system. This means that if there is a power outage, you will not be protected. Units that use ionization normally run on house current and have a battery for backup. They do however have a somewhat higher numner of false alarms. It would be a good idea to use both - an ionization detector in your bedroom hallway, and photoelectric in your main living area.

A general rule is to have a minimum of one smoke detector for every level of your home. You should also keep these guidelines in mind:

Do not install smoke detectors close to the kitchen, furnace, garage, or just outside a bathroom door. Avoid installing smoke detectors in areas where the circulation of air is poor, i.e. corners. Install each smoke alarm on a ceiling or on a wall roughly 8 to 10 inches below the ceiling.

Remember to test your smoke detectors monthly. Nearly every unit made these days comes with a button that makes it simple. If you don’t see a test button, simply light a candle, blow out the flame, and hold the smoking wick about 6 inches below the detector. The smoke should set the unit into alarm.

Replace the batteries in battery-powered smoke detectors annually, on a date that you can easily remember such as your birthday, or the day you set your clocks back. While doing this, use a soft brush to clean the inside of the detector and its vents to ensure the unit’s reliability.