Tips: Installing And Testing Smoke Alarms

  • Feb 24, 2010

Smoke alarms can save your life in a fire, but only if you have enough of them and you know they work. Do you have enough smoke alarms in your home? How old are they? Are they in the right places? Do they have a new battery in them? Without working smoke alarms, you and your family may not wake up in time to get to safety if a fire breaks out in your home. They are extremely important. Make sure your family is safe:

Putting Up Your Smoke Alarms

  • Smoke rises, so smoke alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings. Ceiling-mounted alarms should be installed at least four inches away from the nearest wall. Wall-mounted alarms should be installed four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.
  • Make sure the alarm is away from the path of steam from bathrooms and cooking vapors from the kitchen. These can cause a “false alarm” when the alarm goes off but there is not a fire.
  • Don't install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts. They will not work right in these places.

Have Smoke Alarms That Work

  • Make sure there is a smoke alarm on every floor of your home, especially where people sleep. This includes the basement. If possible, put an alarm inside every bedroom too.
  • Test your smoke alarms once a month. Push the test button until you hear a loud noise.
  • Put a new battery in your smoke alarms once a year. Put in a new battery if your alarm makes a “chirping” sound. This means the power is low.
  • If your smoke alarms are more than 10 years old, get new smoke alarms.

When You Buy New Smoke Alarms

  • Get enough to cover every level of your home and every bedroom.
  • If you can, get “interconnected” smoke alarms. When one alarm goes off, they all sound. This means the alarm near you will go off sooner. It gives you more time to get your family outside to safety.
  • There are two kinds of smoke alarms – photoelectric and ionization. If possible, get some of each kind or buy “combination” smoke alarms that have both types of sensors.
  • Make sure your smoke alarms have been tested for safety by a laboratory. Look for a mark on the box such as ETL, UL or CSA.

Featured

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.