Where There’s Smoke, There’s….

By Bubba | March 20, 2011 at 10:30 am | 7 comments | General Tips | Tags: alarm system, fire alarm, home protection, home security, home security system, security system, smoke alarm

Fire. One of the scariest things you can hear in the dark of night is the sound of a fire engine somewhere in your neighborhood. The only thing worse would be the realization that they’re coming to your address.  There are about 3,000 home fire related deaths a year in the US. In about 2,000 of those deaths, there was no working smoke detector present in the home.

If you’re going to the expense of installing your own do-it-yourself alarm system, do NOT leave out fire/smoke/CO detection devices.  Even if you are not installing a whole house system, there is simply no reason not to install individual smoke detectors throughout your house. A modern house without them is simply irresponsible.

Smoke detectors come in two basic technologies: ionization and photoelectric. The ionization unit can detect invisible particulate as small as .01 microns in size. This would be useful in a hot, fast spreading flame intense fire.  The photoelectric smoke detector works when particulate matter in visible smoke breaks or scatters the light focused on a photocell.  These are most useful for smoldering, smoky fires. Since the units are optimized for different fire scenarios, it is often suggested that both units be installed in you home.

Best practices suggest that a smoke detector/sensor be located on every level of your home or workplace, and that all sleeping quarters have a unit placed inside or adjacent to them. You might put a unit right outside a bedroom; assuming the fire did not begin directly in the room, it would be useful to detect a problem on its way; the unit needs to be close enough for any occupants to hear the alarm when sounded. Be advised that kids can sleep through a piercing smoke alarm; installing your smoke detectors will give you a good opportunity to review your family’s emergency plan.

If a unit is hooked to a central system, various noise makers and strobe type lights can be employed at various points in the home.  It is often useful to use a different sound for a fire alert than for an intruder or panic alarm.  Again, everyone in the home must be aware of what a particular alarm sound means.  Having a central alarm hookup can also be set to alert your monitoring company that a fire alert, rather than a crime alert, has been tripped.  Like any alarm, battery backup is imperative.

Not having a central alarm is simply no excuse for not owning individual, working smoke alarms. Every hardware store, department store, and probably even the corner Walgreens stock acceptable smoke alarms. Look for a label signifying approval from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and/or National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Batteries need to be checked and replaced regularly. Ionization detectors usually sound an annoying “chirp” when batteries are low, some photoelectric units will also sound a warning. Fire departments suggest you replace batteries regularly, without waiting for low voltage indicators. If you change them when you set your clocks forward or back each season, you will most likely assure that your units are working year round. Another rule of thumb: replace detectors every ten years, they have a limited lifespan.

Even non-centrally controlled units can be daisy-chained together so that if smoke is detected in the basement, the second floor bedroom alarms will sound.  New technology has allowed even wireless alarms to trip multiple units.

Last consideration: put in some CO detectors as well. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Thousands are sent to the hospital every year, many during cold season. Why? CO is a gas that results from any fuel combustion. From terribly inefficient oil or gas furnaces, to simple (badly ventilated) wood burning fireplaces, CO is an odorless, invisible gas that can kill quickly.  Portable generators, automobiles left running in the garage, folks cooking indoors over a charcoal grill are all common sources of CO poisoning. Electric space heaters, all electric furnaces, stoves, etc. are not a problem. It only takes a rusted out heat exchanger within an old house furnace to created a significant danger. When your persistent heating/cooling salesman keeps insisting that you need to refurbish or replace a worn furnace – use your good judgement, AND a CO detector.

Like smoke detectors, installation and maintenance of CO detectors is simple.  Combination (smoke/CO) detectors are available. They are available as sensors for whole house systems as well.

Typical Christmas Tree Fire: Blazingly Fast:

You’ve seen those shocking videos of house fires set under test conditions. If there is ever any kind of fire incident in your home, you will not have minutes to decide, alert your family, and act, you will have seconds. Get those detectors up and working; you’re going to need every second you can get.