Buying A Smoke Alarm

Buying a smoke alarm is a great investment. It not only protects your home, but also your family.

Smoke Alarm

Shelling out some cash for a new smoke alarm is definitely worth it. Smoke alarms are designed to automatically detect fire in your home and give of an alarm, giving your time to leave the home before the fire gets bigger. If you’re not sure where to start when buying a smoke alarm, you can use the tips we have below to help you out.

Buying a Smoke Alarm

• Consider which type of fire is most likely to occur in your home: look at the materials in which your house is made, as well as other things around the house such as furniture. Statistically, both types of fire are likely to occur so it is best to have at least one of each type of smoke alarm installed in the house.
• When buying a smoke alarm, check to make sure the item is marked with a current British Standards or European (CE) safety mark.
• Place at least one smoke alarm per floor of your home.
• Typically, smoke alarms are fit on the ceiling or wall of the room, about 12 inches away from any light fixture and as close to the center of the room as possible. This information should be available in the instructions manual.
• Ensure that rooms that have a fire risk are covered (i.e. kitchen).
• Avoid placing smoke alarms directly inside the kitchen or bathroom. Steam can damage the alarm, or set it off by mistake.
• Consider using a 10-year battery on your smoke alarm.
• Fit additional smoke alarms in your home if you have difficulty moving or leaving the house (i.e. there are elderly, persons with disability or small children in your home). This will give an advanced warning, giving you more time.
• Regularly test your smoke alarms – ideally every week.
• Immediately change the battery when a warning appears.
• Do not disconnect or remove the batteries in case your alarm goes off by mistake.
• Batteries in 10-year smoke alarms must not be removed or replaced.
• Heat detectors are best used in the kitchen to detect increase in temperature. They are not meant as a replacement to a smoke alarm, but will provide additional protection.
• Install strobe light and vibrating pad smoke alarms if there have deaf or hearing- impaired living in your home.

Mediacoms can help your with installing and buying a smoke alarm and home security systems.