Safety and Maintenance Tips for Smoke Alarms

1. Safety and Maintenance Tips for Smoke Alarms When it comes to a smoke and fire alarm, we all know that this is a type of tool that is designed to save lives in terms of house fires. In order to ensure that your home is as fully protected as possible, as well as that your smoke alarms are working as properly as they should be, it’s important that the most basic installation, maintenance, and fire alarm monitoring tips are followed. Here are some of the most important installation tips to make note of in order to ensure that your home’s smoke alarm is always in perfect working condition. *First and foremost, always make sure that you install smoke alarms in every bedroom of your home, as well as outside every other sleeping area and on every level of the home itself. *In order to ensure the maximum amount of protection, consider interconnecting your smoke alarms, meaning that when one single alarm is triggered, all of them will trigger as a result. In fact, there are many manufacturers who are now opting to produce smoke alarms that are battery-operated and interconnected via wireless technology. *The most comprehensive amount of protection is said to be offered by combination smoke alarms, which include both ionization and photoelectric alarms. Ionization alarms tend to be more responsive to actual flames, while photoelectric alarms tend to be more responsive to fires that are smoldering. *One of the more reliable types of smoke alarms are considered to be hardwired alarms with battery backups as opposed to alarms that are operated only by batteries. *Smoke alarms should only be purchased from a trusted reputable retailer. *Ensure that you select alarms that feature the label of a testing laboratory that is nationally recognized. *Smoke alarms should be installed at least ten feet from all cooking appliances in order to decrease the chance of false alarms occurring. *Any alarms that are installed between 10 feet and 20 feet of cooking appliances should contain a hush feature, which is designed to reduce the sensitivity of the alarm on a temporary basis. An alternative to this would be a photoelectric alarm. Here are some of the most basic tips involving maintenance for smoke alarms that should be made note of. *All smoke alarms should be tested at least once per month via pressing the test button on the alarm itself.

2. *The batteries in smoke alarms should be replaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally, this should be done at least once per year. In the event that the alarm beeps, this is an indication that the batteries are low and should be replaced immediately. *Take the time to lightly vacuum or dust the exterior of the alarm on an occasional basis, as this will help to remove dust and keep the alarm clean. *Smoke alarms should be replaced approximately every ten years. *Smoke alarms should never be painted for any reason, nor should they be covered with tape, stickers, etc., as this can prevent the alarms from being able to work as properly as they should. Reach out to Dyezz Surveillance and Alarm for a free consultation today! See more about how we can help with fire alarm installation, monitoring, and inspections!