A Smoke Alarm is the most important safety feature of your home
Choosing an Alarm
- Be sure Smoke Alarms carry the label of an independent testing lab.
- Smoke alarms can run on batteries or on household currents.
- Smoke alarms have different sensor technologies:
- Ionization Smoke Alarms: More effective against fast-flaming fires (fires that consume materials rapidly and spread quickly). Sources may be paper fires or kitchen fires.
- Photoelectric Smoke Alarms: More effective against slow smoldering fires (fires that smolder for hours before bursting into flame.) Sources include cigarettes burning in couches or bedding.
- Combo Units: Ionization/Photoelectric alarms are available and provide early warning of both types of fires.
Where to Install Smoke Alarms
- Install on every level of your home, including the basement and in every sleeping area. Ensure all family members can hear it.
- Mount alarms high on a wall or on top of the ceiling. Position wall-mounted alarms with the top of the alarm 4-12 inches (10-30 centimeters) from the ceiling.
- Position ceiling-mounted alarms at least 4 inches (10 centimeters) away from the nearest wall.
- Don`t install smoke alarms near a window, door, or forced-air register where drafts could interfere with operation. The moving air can blow smoke away from the alarm`s sensor.
- To avoid false alarms, keep smoke alarms at least 10 feet from stoves and steamy showers.
How to Install Smoke Alarms
- Follow the manufacturer`s instructions on using a drill and screwdriver.
- Plug-in alarms must have restraining devices so they cannot be unplugged by mistake.
- A qualified electrician must install hard-wired alarms.
- Never connect a smoke alarm to a circuit that can be turned off from a wall switch.
Maintenance Tips
- Test smoke alarms once a month by pushing the [test button."
- Install new batteries at least twice a year, when you change your clocks for daylight savings.
- Clean smoke alarms using a vacuum cleaner without removing the alarm`s cover.
- Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
Alarms for the Hearing Impaired
- These smoke alarms have a built-in strobe light.
- The alarm has both an audible and visible signal and can be mounted in ceilings and walls.
