You are more than twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you haven't got a smoke alarm

What is a smoke alarm?

A smoke alarm is a self contained unit designed to detect a fire and then alert people in the vicinity, normally via an internal siren.

There are two types of alarm found in the home, both work by detecting small particles (smoke) passing through the device. These two alarms have the following positives and negatives.

Ionisation alarms

Positives
They are cheap, easy to install and require very little maintenance.
 
Negatives
They are very sensitive and are prone to activating from cooking, steam and other routine tasks.

Optical alarms

Positives
These alarms are quicker at detecting small smoldering fires normally when no flame is present, from materials that produce larger particles i.e. foam mattress and electrical wiring. They are also less prone to falsely activating. Like the optical alarms these too are easy to install and maintain.
 
Negatives
More expensive.

Which alarm?

Either, one is better then none, however the Fire Service do recommend one of each.

How many & where to put them?

It is normal practice to have one alarm on each floor of your home, however depending on the layout and size you may need more.

Most alarms are designed to be in a central position on the ceiling, normally in the hall or a location where they can be heard throughout the home.

Maintenance

Smoke Alarms can be maintained in four simple steps;

  1. Test your alarm weekly.
  2. Replace the battery annually.
  3. Open and clean (normally with a vacuum) every 6 months.
  4. Repalce after 10 years.

 

Making Fire Safety Simple!