Check the Smoke Detectors in Your Home
Posted on | March 25, 2009 |
Having a working smoke alarm reduces your chance of dying in a fire by nearly one-half, according to the United States Fire Administration (USFA). You should have smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside bedrooms. If you keep bedroom doors closed, put a smoke alarm in each bedroom
Here are more smart tips from their site:
- Test your alarm and check or replace your batteries today, along with the following ‘starter list.’
- Make sure you have smoke alarms and fire extinguishers for each floor of your home. Check with your fire department or building code official if there are code requirements for additional alarms.
- Many hardware, home supply or general merchandise stores carry smoke alarms.
- Make sure the alarm you buy is UL-listed. The Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit, product-safety testing and certification organization and has tested products for public safety for more than a century.
What to know about smoke detectors
There are two different types of smoke detectors available:
- Ionization smoke detectors typically are better at detecting fast flaming fires, which consume combustible materials rapidly and spread quickly. Examples of fast flaming fires include paper burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.
- Photoelectric smoke detectors generally are more effective on slow smoldering fires. These are fires that smolder for hours before bursting into flames, such as when a lighted cigarette is dropped onto a couch or bedding.
Things to know about these detectors -
- Some detectors have a dual sensor, which can detect both ionization (fast flames) and photoelectric (smoldering) fires.
- Consider purchasing ‘wireless’ or ‘interconnected’ alarm systems. This means when one alarm goes off, it will trigger the other alarms.
- Follow instructions for proper use and installation.
- Generally speaking, the smoke alarms should be near bedrooms, either on the ceiling or six to twelve inches below the ceiling on the wall.
- If on the ceiling, the smoke detector should be mounted away from corners and walls (at least 8-10 inches away).
- In a room with a pitched ceiling, a smoke detector should be mounted at or near the ceiling’s highest point.
- Locate smoke alarms away from air vents.
Smoke detector facts and care
- Smoke alarms should be replaced every eight to ten years.
- Consider writing the purchase date on your alarm with a permanent marker. That way, you’ll know when to replace it.
- Smoke detectors should not be painted.
- Test! Press the “test” button for a few seconds – this will activate the alarm.
- Clean! Smoke alarms are particle-sensitive and dust, lint or cobwebs can limit its ability to detect smoke. Keep smoke alarms clean by vacuuming the surface and around the alarm with a vacuum attachment.
- Replace the batteries twice a year, or earlier if necessary. (Here’s a WHN reader tip - Change smoke detector batteries when you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time.)
- Never disconnect a good smoke detector battery if it alarms due to cooking or to use the battery for other purposes. You may not remember to put the batteries back in after cooking.
Conduct home fire drills monthly to test the condition of your equipment and ensure your family knows what to do in the event of a fire. Periodically, test the smoke alarm when your children are sleeping: reports show that children often sleep too soundly to hear the alarm.
Here’s another WHN reader tip: If you have children or elderly adults in your home, they may sleep through the alarm. Consider alternative devices such as voice warning systems or low frequency alarms. Use these together with regular smoke detectors.
- Susan
Comments
2 Responses to “Check the Smoke Detectors in Your Home”
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March 28th, 2009 @ 9:04 am
This was an excellent article. Thank you for writing on this topic.
I would like to clarify a couple of points.
Statement from Article
Having a working smoke alarm reduces your chance of dying in a fire by nearly one-half, according to the United States Fire Administration.
Comment - Actually, this does not appear to be true. According to the USFA Report: “Fire in the US (92-01)” the following numbers can be obtained (see pages 82 & 93).
1-2 Family Homes
# Fatalities per 100 fires with working alarms = 0.72
# Fatalities per 100 fires without working alarms = 1.1.3
Reduction in risk = 36% (1.0 - 0.72/1.13)
Apartments
# Fatalities per 100 fires with working alarms = 0.614
# Fatalities per 100 fires without working alarms = 0.627
Reduction in risk = 2% (1.0 – 0.614/0.627)
Statement from Article
If you keep bedroom doors closed, put a smoke alarm in each bedroom.
Comment – This advice will protect occupants from a fire that starts in the bedroom, in which case it might not reach the hall smoke alarm, but there is another concern regarding closed bedroom doors that it does not address. A closed bedroom door will make it more difficult to hear a smoke alarm on another floor, particularly if there is a room air conditioner. To protect against this problem occupants must either 1) interconnect the smoke alarms or 2) keep bedroom door slightly ajar.
Statement from Article
There are two different types of smoke detectors available:
1. Ionization smoke detectors typically are better at detecting fast flaming fires, which consume combustible materials rapidly and spread quickly. Examples of fast flaming fires include paper burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.
2. Photoelectric smoke detectors generally are more effective on slow smoldering fires. These are fires that smolder for hours before bursting into flames, such as when a lighted cigarette is dropped onto a couch or bedding.
Comment – This is an important distinction since many studies have shown that the majority of fires that kill people while they are sleeping start out as slow smoldering fires. It may also explain why the effectiveness of smoke alarms is not as great as often assumed. (See Comment 1.) The vast majority of smoke alarms are ionization and they have been shown to be slow to respond to smoldering smoke.
Statement from Article
1. Never disconnect a good smoke detector battery if it alarms due to cooking or to use the battery for other purposes. You may not remember to put the batteries back in after cooking.
Comment – Many studies have shown that the photoelectric smoke alarm is far less susceptible to nuisance alarms. For occupants in small apartment, mobile homes, etc. Switching to photoelectric should reduce nuisance alarms to the point were alarms are not disabled.
For more information got to http://www.bostonfirelocal718.org/. (Links are at the bottom of the page.)
March 30th, 2009 @ 5:35 pm
Thank you for taking the time to send us information. We’re updating the article this week.
Susan