Choosing Smoke Detectors

By: Robert Thomson

A smoke detector helps to give you advanced warning in the event of smoke or fire in your home. A smoke detector will let out a loud, high pitched beep to alert you and if needed allow you to escape your home before fire consumes it. Most house fires occur when people are sleeping so this is why it is important to have a smoke detector.

When it comes to your survival, smoke detectors are your best option. When it comes to getting a smoke detector you want to choose the most reliable model. Consider some of the following tips when choosing a smoke detector for your home.

First you want to make sure you get a smoke detector that is UL or Underwriter Laboratory tested and rated. This assures you that you are getting a smoke detector which has been put through testing in all kinds of scenarios. An indication of UL testing should be seen on the box of the smoke detector and if there is no indication then it probably has not been UL tested. The safest option for you and your family is a smoke detector that has been UL tested.

Next you need to choose which type of smoke alarm is best for your home. There is a hard wired system that is hooked up to the electrical system in your home and there is a 9-volt smoke detector that operates off a battery. When it comes to choosing between these two there are a few factors you want to take into consideration.

A hard wired system is more reliable and provides earlier detection. In the event that the electrical system fails in your home then the system automatically reverts to a battery backup. However, these systems are also more expensive and you will have to pay to have it professionally installed.

This does not mean a battery operated detector is no good. While these models are less expensive they can still save your life in an emergency. The only real downside to having a battery operated smoke detector is that you need to remember to replace the batteries regularly. Always get in the habit of changing the batteries on your smoke detector when you change your clocks for daylight savings time.

Once you have purchased your smoke detector it is important that you install it in a place where it will be most effective. You want to have at least one smoke detector located near the sleeping area of your home. If you have more than one sleeping area you should have more than one smoke detector.

A smoke detector should be located high on the wall since smoke will rise. Do not hang a smoke detector behind any curtains or furniture. This will prevent the smoke detector from working properly. While placing a smoke detector near the kitchen or fireplace may seem like a good idea, these are actually two places to avoid. Placing a smoke detector near these areas will cause malfunctions and continuous false alarms. It is better to place your smoke detectors in other areas of the house.

Article Source: http://www.bigfreearticles.com

About the Author:
Resculite, Inc works hard to help keep your family safe. We carry a large selection of carbon monoxide detectors , fire escape ladders and smoke detectors to meet all residential and commercial needs.

Tags: home, smoke detector, smoke detectors, smoke alarms, smoke alarm

Please Rate this Article

Comments

Share This Article - Quick and Easy Using This Button:

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Home Articles Via RSS!

Read More Articles From - Home | Home

A Solar-Powered Attic Fan By: Anna Williams - One of the more popular uses of solar power in the home is the solar attic fan. As its name implies, a solar attic fan is powered and activated by sunlight. It is installed into the roof of the attic, with its panels facing the sky. Why would one need a solar-powered attic fan?
Tags: home, solar attic fan, solar powered attic fan, solar power, home solar power, ventilation
Watch Your Relationships! By: Florence Bernard - This should be read by kids and parents together. Young children are known to be pretty horrid to each other. I have heard some of the meanest things in playgrounds! Teenagers go through a lot as far as relationships go.
Tags: home, kids, teenagers, parenting, school, relationships, children
Helping Your Senior Parents Move By: Marilyn Ellis - So often I hear frustrated clients tell me, "Help, my elderly parents are so stubborn and they are driving me crazy!" I completely understand this frustration as I have been there too. My elderly mother became more and more forgetful as she got older. She would forget to eat and drink.
Tags: home, aging, parent, aging parent, senior, senior move, assisted living
Home Lightings By: Isabelle Lucas - Homes look complete when decorated with beautiful contemporary lighting. The new designs and techniques of light bulbs available today are far better and superior to what we had earlier. Lighting adds a touch of warmth to your homes and makes you feel cozy and pleasant to live in.
Tags: home, home lightings, home lightings
Home Furnishings By: Isabelle Lucas - Home is place where you live in and a well furnished home is more like a heaven. Now-a-days people are working very hard to make their homes look more beautiful then it ever used to be.
Tags: home, contemporary furniture range, modern furniture, home furnishings
Oh My Gosh - The Christmas Tree is Still Up! By: Elle Dixey - It's the New Year. Here come our resolutions, right? Lose Weight, be more patient, exercise more and so on. And those Christmas decorations are still in sight! We have to allow time to put this stuff away, but where do we find it?
Tags: home, organize christmas, christmas organization tips, holiday storage
Return to Healthy Sleep Habits After the Holidays By: Patti Teel - During the winter break, many—if not most children have gotten used to staying up late and sleeping in simply "because it's vacation." After staying up late and sleeping in during the holidays, the first week back at school is often a difficult one.
Tags: home, solve childrens sleep problems, kids and sleep, sleep deprivation, relaxation, kids and stress, kids insomnia
7 Fast and Easy Tips to Being Organized By: Elle Dixey - A place for everything and everything in its place. It sounds easy, doesn't it? Then why are so many of us disorganized? Where does all the clutter come from? And what do we do with it? In this article, we will give you 7 easy tips to getting yourself organized.
Tags: home, organize your home, get yourself organized, tips for organization
What is Green Energy: A Summary Overview By: Daniel Stouffer - Solar technology involves the manufacturing of solar panels which gather and concentrate the power given off directly by the sun, and convert it into electricity. In other cases, hot water can be produced from the sun. As with wind energy, solar energy creates absolutely zero pollution.
Tags: home, solar energy business, citizenre, alternative energy, solar energy systems, renu, renewable energy
Have Flabby Thigh Fat You Need To lose? By: Phil Hixon - Do you need to lose that annoying flabby thigh fat? If you think you're going to lose it with a quick weight loss pill or crazy fad diet then you're dead wrong. There also isn't really any magical exercise either.
Tags: home, lose thigh fat fast, get rid of thigh fat, losing thigh fat