Smoke and CO Alarms Save Lives
Information for Purchase and Location of Alarms
The majority of fatal home fires happen at night when people are asleep. Contrary to popular belief, the smell of smoke may not wake a sleeping person. The poisonous gases and smoke produced by a fire can numb the senses and put you into a deeper sleep.
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Choosing an Alarm for Your Home
Be sure your home's smoke alarms carry the ULC or CSA label.
Battery Type
o These are inexpensive
o Batteries need replacing and often overlooked
o Cannot install interconnected to the rest of the home. This means that only the alarm that detects the smoke will sound the alarm and if you are in the other end of the home you may not hear it, especially when sleeping.
120V AC type – Hardwired to Your Electrical System
o To detect smoke cost per head run a price of $18 to $25
o To detect smoke & heat cost per head run price of $25 to $35
o To detect smoke, heat and carbon monoxide price around $60
o Wired directly to your home's electrical system (no need for batteries) Best used, interconnected to each other in your home. This means if you are sleeping in the bedroom of the 3rd level of your home and have a smoke alarm in that bedroom and have a fire or a carbon monoxide leak around the area of your furnace, all the alarms will sound.
o This system maybe attractive to a future home buyer.
120V AC/DC type (with battery back-up)
These home units basically are the same as the 120V types only they have a back-up power source (battery) for when the power goes off.
Wireless Interconnected Battery Operated
New to the Market
Battery operated wireless interconnected smoke alarms are easily linked to the other alarms. When one alarm is activated, all the alarms sound. Choose a Photoelectric smoke sensor that reduces nuisance alarms from cooking smoke or shower steam.
Where to Install in Your Home
1 - Because smoke and heat rises, mount alarms high on a wall or on the ceiling. Wall mounted units should be mounted so the top of the alarm is 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling. A ceiling mounted alarm should be at least 12 inches from the nearest wall but preferably over any doorway leading to a room that does not have an alarm.
2 - When installing alarms, consider the path that smoke and heat would take when entering the room.
3 - At least one per level of your home (not in kitchen or bathroom)
4 - Outside the bedroom doors in hallway not near the bathroom.
5 - Over the home's electrical power panel
6 - In the home's furnace room - prefer Smoke/CO Alarm Combo
7 - In the attached garage if interconnected (otherwise you may not hear it)
8 - If you have a door from the garage leading into the main part of the house, you may want to put your battery type over the entrance door in the garage leading to main part of the home.
Maintenance of Alarms
For alarms to be effective, it is important that they are adequately maintained at least every six (6) months.
Battery Types
Replace batteries every six (6) months. Best time is when you move your clock ahead and the time you move it back. This is not a time to try to save money “Do not use Dollar Store batteries”
Check the manufactures requirements, vacuuming with soft brush to remove dust particles that may affect the operation of the unit. Once a month test by depressing the button on the outside of the alarm in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Do not borrow batteries to run toys or other appliances.
AC and AC/DC Types
Vacuuming with soft brush to remove dust particles that may affect the operation of the unit once a month test by depressing the button on the outside of the alarm in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Ideally these units should be wired on a circuit with an appliance that you use on a regular basis, this way if the fuse is blown or the breaker is tripped to the off position you would notice it.
Ionization vs. Photoelectric
There is no simple answer to which. Both function on different principles and may respond differently to a mixture of conditions. Some advantages to each are set out below:
Ionization
oFastest type to respond to the heat of flaming fires
Fastest type to respond to the heat of flaming fires oLowest cost and most sold
Lowest cost and most sold oSome models have a quiet mode feature that allows silencing without removing the battery
Some models have a quiet mode feature that allows silencing without removing the battery oSome models are available with a longer life batteries
Some models are available with a longer life batteriesPhotoelectric
oFaster respond to smoke from slow smoldering fires
Faster respond to smoke from slow smoldering firesoBetter prone to trouble alarms from cooking
Better prone to trouble alarms from cookingSeeing you cannot foresee the type of fire that will occur, it is difficult to advocate which is best. Both alarms detect all types of fires. Installing both types of smoke alarms in your home can improve your fire safety.
We hope this page is helpful in
'Preparing Your Home for Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Leaks'
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After Purchase of London Home, Be Safe with Fire Smoke and CO Alarms. There are a number of concerns about Fire, Smoke, fire and CO Alarms in your new London home that can make it safer for your family. Check out this site for the pros and cons.
