Smoke Detectors

Smoke Detectors – The Forgotten Home Security System

Home security is not just about keeping prowlers from entering your home. Protection from fire and smoke inhalation should also be covered in your security plans. Toward this end, you should install smoke detectors. In the years 2000 to 2004, no smoke detectors were present or if present, not in working order, in 46% of reported home fires. It has been estimated that 890 lives could be saved each year if every home had working smoke alarms.

Just to be sure everyone knows what I mean by a smoke detector; this is a device that detects smoke and issues a signal to a fire alarm system, and/or a local audible alarm from the detector itself.
For households with the hearing impaired, there are smoke alarms which have an audible and a strobe light alarm to which vibration devices can be added. If you have a full home security system, your smoke detector will send a call to the security company reporting that smoke has been detected so immediate action can be taken.

Smoke detectors work by either optical detection (photoelectric) or by physical process (ionization). There are some smoke detectors which operate by both methods to increase sensitivity to smoke. They may be battery powered or hard wired to the house electrical power, although if hard wired, battery back up is recommended in case the main power fails. Optical smoke detectors are generally quicker in detecting smoke generated by smoldering fires, while ionization smoke detectors are generally quicker at detecting smoke from flaming fires.

An air-sampling smoke detector, sometimes called a VESDA system, can detect microscopic particles of smoke and provide multiple levels of alerts, i.e. Alert, Action, Fire 1 and Fire 2. These systems are classified as High Sensitivity and allow early warning of a developing fire. Fire thresholds can be set to notify local fire fighters and to discharge fire suppression systems which are often installed with the VESDA.

Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of your home, including the basement and attic. Also make sure there is a detector outside every sleeping area of your home. Hard-wired smoke detectors can and should be interconnected so all will sound if one detector sounds. If you sleep with your doors closed, install interconnected smoke detectors in every room. Make sure the battery backups are kept in good working order by replacing the batteries regularly.

A hard-wired smoke detector system should always be installed by a qualified electrician near or on the ceilings. Test all your smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button. Replace all batteries once a year, or if the alarm “chirps”, replace the battery immediately. Replace all smoke alarms after 10 years of use or sooner if they do not respond properly to a “test”. Smoke alarms that include a recordable voice announcement may be more effective in awakening children, but as an extra measure of safety, an adult should be designated to make sure all children and the hearing impaired are alerted.