Everyone knows that you need to put smoke detectors around the home in order to protect your home and family from the threat of fire.
Fires destroy many residences each year, and the process of building back not only a home, but a life from the remaining ashes can be something that takes not only weeks or months, but years.
Many families are not even properly insured to protect against the threat of fire, meaning that not only their belongings, but their peace of mind may never fully return.
A great place to start if you are worried about the threat of fire is by properly installing smoke detectors around the home.
If you have a monitored home security system that includes flood and fire protection, all the better.
If not, then you can still start with the easy smoke detector guide.
Many homes have multiple levels, and as such a smoke-detector should be installed on each level.
The U.
S.
Fire Administration recommends placing a centrally located smoke detector on each floor because the levels of danger and the amount of smoke and fire required to set off a home alarm system is enough to be destructive if not deadly, meaning it may be too late by the time an alarm goes off.
Any room that has the door shut the vast majority of the time or for extended periods of time should also have a smoke detector.
Bedrooms are a perfect example, since the door is likely shut all night every night, and perhaps during the day for privacy too.
Each bedroom should have its very own smoke detector for maximum safety.
Now that you know where to put smoke detectors, it's important also to avoid certain areas to maximize efficiency.
Areas of the home like the kitchen or the garage should be avoided because the alarm will constantly be going off due to steam, fire, cooking smoke and car or machinery exhaust.
The constant sounding of the alarm will cause you to turn the unit off, or worse, learn to ignore the sounding alarm, leading to a dangerous home security situation for you and your entire family.
Another area to avoid is the attic, since this area can be especially hot during the summer and cold during the winter.
This means it will likely be too hot or cold for the unit to work anyway.
A better option is to install a heat sensor during the winter, and smoke detectors near any entrances on the next main floor down.
Finally, no matter where your smoke detectors are, if you want 100% home security it's necessary to test each and every smoke alarm every month.
In the past, many sources recommended testing every 6 months, but once a smoke detector deteriorates it can stop working overnight.
Testing is a quick and easy process.
Once a year, batteries should be changed, regardless of whether they are still functioning or not.
Every 10 years, all units should be replaced.
It can be helpful to purchase identical units to make upkeep and battery purchasing streamlined.
Fires destroy many residences each year, and the process of building back not only a home, but a life from the remaining ashes can be something that takes not only weeks or months, but years.
Many families are not even properly insured to protect against the threat of fire, meaning that not only their belongings, but their peace of mind may never fully return.
A great place to start if you are worried about the threat of fire is by properly installing smoke detectors around the home.
If you have a monitored home security system that includes flood and fire protection, all the better.
If not, then you can still start with the easy smoke detector guide.
Many homes have multiple levels, and as such a smoke-detector should be installed on each level.
The U.
S.
Fire Administration recommends placing a centrally located smoke detector on each floor because the levels of danger and the amount of smoke and fire required to set off a home alarm system is enough to be destructive if not deadly, meaning it may be too late by the time an alarm goes off.
Any room that has the door shut the vast majority of the time or for extended periods of time should also have a smoke detector.
Bedrooms are a perfect example, since the door is likely shut all night every night, and perhaps during the day for privacy too.
Each bedroom should have its very own smoke detector for maximum safety.
Now that you know where to put smoke detectors, it's important also to avoid certain areas to maximize efficiency.
Areas of the home like the kitchen or the garage should be avoided because the alarm will constantly be going off due to steam, fire, cooking smoke and car or machinery exhaust.
The constant sounding of the alarm will cause you to turn the unit off, or worse, learn to ignore the sounding alarm, leading to a dangerous home security situation for you and your entire family.
Another area to avoid is the attic, since this area can be especially hot during the summer and cold during the winter.
This means it will likely be too hot or cold for the unit to work anyway.
A better option is to install a heat sensor during the winter, and smoke detectors near any entrances on the next main floor down.
Finally, no matter where your smoke detectors are, if you want 100% home security it's necessary to test each and every smoke alarm every month.
In the past, many sources recommended testing every 6 months, but once a smoke detector deteriorates it can stop working overnight.
Testing is a quick and easy process.
Once a year, batteries should be changed, regardless of whether they are still functioning or not.
Every 10 years, all units should be replaced.
It can be helpful to purchase identical units to make upkeep and battery purchasing streamlined.