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Smoke Alarms
Smoke detectors are your most important fire safety weapon, and it’s imperative that you have them in your home, and that they’re in good working condition at all times. They’re cheap, they’re very easy to install, and there’s absolutely no excuse for not using them.Testing them is very simple. Most smoke detectors have a button marked TEST, and you simply push it in. If the alarm sounds, it’s fine. If it doesn’t, either the detector has gone bad, or the battery is worn out. In either case, you’ll need to fix it right away. Because it’s easy to forget about batteries in smoke detectors, best thing is to replace the batteries twice a year. We recommend that batteries be changed at least once a year, perhaps a significant day like your birthday, New Year Day or when you change your clocks in the spring or fall etc.
Most alarm and security systems function according to the following protocol:
The homeowners system’s responds to heat or smoke and immediately seizes the telephone line while sending the alarm to the private security system’s central station.The central station, in turn, immediately relays an alert to the County Sheriffs tower, which alerts the volunteer firemen and police. If the homeowner immediately attempts to cancel the alarm over a second telephone line or with a cell phone, the effort might be fast enough to effect cancellation.
Following the above rapid sequence, the central station frees the telephone line and calls the residence in order to verify the homeowner’s presence and condition; if no one answers the telephone the central station attempts to contact persons on the homeowner’s “call list.”The City Council strongly recommend that residents adhere to the above protocol.
Smoke alarms can only warn of danger. You must then take action to escape.
About two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms are considered to be one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning of a potentially deadly fire and could reduce the risk of dying from a fire in your home by almost half.
A smoke detector warns of fire when it senses the products of combustion in the atmosphere. As anyone who has a smoke detector too close to the kitchen knows, a smoke detector goes off very quickly, even in small amount of smoke. There are slight differences between the two types of smoke detectors, but they both operate by detecting the products of fire combustion.
The sooner a fire is detected and emergency responders are notified, the greater the chance that your loved ones and possessions will be safe. Field-proven wireless technology is an exciting new advance in security that provides the most reliable, convenient and cost effective solutions for security protection.
More than 4,000 deaths are caused by fires each year in the U.S. – and more than 400,000 residential fires destroy an estimated $4.7 billion in property. Our nation has a fire death rate that’s two times greater than most European nations – making it more vital than ever that your home have a fire alarm system that utilizes the right technology and equipment to detect smoke and fire, protect property and save lives.
According to the U.S. Home Safety Council, 97% of U.S. homes have at least one basic smoke detector – but an off-the-shelf smoke alarm may not be enough to protect your family and property.
There are two main types of smoke alarms, which are categorized by the type of smoke detection sensor, ionization and photoelectric, used in the alarm. A smoke alarm uses one or both methods, sometimes with a heat detector, to warn of a fire.
Ionization Smoke detectors:
Ionization detectors work best for rapidly spreading fires in combustible materials, where there are lots of flames, but little smoke. Ionization technology smoke detectors are generally more sensitive than photoelectric technology smoke detectors at sensing small particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts by hot, flaming fires that are consuming combustible materials rapidly and may spread quickly.If you’re going to have one in your kitchen, go with an ionization model. That will also reduce the likelihood of them being triggered by cooking. These detectors contain a chamber with two plates that generate a small, continuous electric current. Ionization smoke detectors use a small amount of radiation to detect smoke. A small amount of electrical current flows form one point to another inside the smoke chamber within the smoke detector. When smoke enters the ionization chamber, the smoke particles disrupt the current flow, which triggers the alarm.The ionization smoke detectors activate quicker for fast, flaming fires
Photoelectric detectors :
Photo electronic ones are better at detecting smoldering fires, which create lots of smoke, but little actual fire at first. They’re your best bet for most places. Photoelectric smoke detector technology is generally more sensitive than ionization smoke detector technology at sensing large smoke particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts by smoldering fires, which may smolder for hours before bursting into flame. Photo electronic detectors use a light beam and light receptor (photocell). When smoke is present between the light and receptor, depending on the type of smoke chamber configuration, the reduction or increase of light on the photocell sensor triggers the alarm. Photoelectric type is quicker for slow, smoldering fires.
Either one will provide you enough time to get out, but having a mix of the two types is a good idea. Models with both sensors are better than single sensor units, but of course they cost more.
Field-proven wireless technology is an exciting new advance in security that provides the most reliable, convenient and cost effective solutions for security protection.
5806W3 – Wireless Photoelectric Smoke Detector
5808LST – Wireless Smoke/Heat Detector
5809 – Wireless heat detector
5808W3 – Photoelectric Smoke / Heat Detector with Built-In Wireless Transmitter
The 5806W3 is a 3V battery operated, photo electronic smoke detector with a built-in wireless transmitter. Since there are no holes to drill or wires to run, installers can preserve the beauty of the protected premise while protecting it. The 5806W3 is an ideal smoke detector for difficult to wire locations, applications where room aesthetics are critical or where hazardous materials exist. It facilitates fire verification for false alarm reduction requirements by ANSI/SIA CP-01standards and is intended for use with any of 5800 Series wireless receiver/transceivers for residential installations.
The powerful 5808LST is a combination wireless photoelectric smoke and heat detector that trips when temperatures reach 135º F. Ideal for difficult to wire locations, situations where room aesthetics are critical or where hazardous materials exist, the 5808LST provides the ultimate in installation flexibility.
The 5809 wireless fixed heat and rate-of-rise temperature sensor offers expanded fire detection and installation flexibility. It is ideal for hard to wire locations and applications that require more than smoke detection. With no wires to run, the 5809 is fast and easy to install.
The 5808W3 is a 3V lithium powered, photo electronic smoke/heat detector with a built-in wireless transmitter. It is intended for use with any 5800 Series Wireless Receiver/Transceiver for residential installations (for commercial installations, the 5881ENHC or the 5883H receiver is required).The transmitter can send alarm, tamper, maintenance (when control panels are equipped to process maintenance signals), and battery condition messages to the system’s receiver. Smoothing algorithms minimize nuisance alarms by smoothing out short term spikes from dust and smoke – virtually eliminating nuisance alarms.
All models also feature a restorable, built-in, fixed temperature (135°F) thermal detector that is also capable of sensing a pre-freeze condition if the temperature is below 41°F.
Smoke alarms are powered either by household current (ac), a battery, or ac with a battery that keeps it operating during power outages. The battery type is easy to install in existing homes but the battery must be changed annually. Building codes for new homes require ac powered alarms with battery backup. For greater safety, older ac only smoke alarms should be replaced with ac/battery alarm, and new codes requires any smoke alarm older than 10 years to be replaced.
FAQ’s
Do you really Need Smoke Alarms?
YES! Smoke alarms will tend to react first, providing extra time to escape. In some fires, sufficient smoke can be released to impair judgment or even threaten persons with preexisting medical problems before enough heat is released to set off the sprinkler. Also, smoke alarms provide early warning of fires that may start out of range of the sprinklers, such as within a wall space. Therefore, it is important that smoke alarms be installed in all of the places discussed
What is if alarm keeps chirping even with a new battery?
There are a number of possible causes for your smoke alarm to keep chirping even with a new battery.
• It is possible that your smoke detector “silence” button was pushed by mistake. The alarm will now “chirp” once a minute for up to 15 minutes before resetting.
• Even “new” batteries may not be fresh. If batteries are stored, especially in cold areas like refrigerators, they lose their charge more quickly. Always check the freshness date on the package when buying new batteries. Keep plenty of replacement batteries on hand so that you are sure to always be protected by your smoke alarms.
• Check with the other devices too. Some of the devices have similar low battery chirps or warning tones.
What if the Alarm Goes Off While I’m cooking?
Then it’s doing its job. Do not disable your smoke alarm if it alarms due to cooking or other non-fire causes. You may not remember to put the batteries back in the alarm after cooking. Instead clear the air by waving a towel near the alarm, leaving the batteries in place. The alarm may need to be moved to a new location. Some of the newer models have a “hush” button that silences nuisance alarms.
Why does my smoke alarm sound (false alarm) when I can’t see smoke?
Any one of the following situations can cause a false alarm from your smoke detector:
a. You may have experienced a power interruption. Hardwired smoke detectors may sound briefly when power is interrupted then restored.
b. The cover or sensor chamber may be covered by dust or dirt. Alarms may look clean, but dust can accumulate inside the cover, even in newly built homes. Gently vacuum your smoke alarm regularly using the soft brush attachment.
Cleaning smoke alarms:
Remove the alarm from the wall or ceiling and hold the unit on its side. There is a gap between the front cover and the back plate. Take a vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool and clean all around the gap area. Pay most attention to the sensor, which you will see in the gap area. The sensor looks like a small tin can with slots in it.
c. Insects may have clogged the sensor chamber. Clean the smoke detector with the soft brush attachment on your vacuum. To prevent repeat problems, clean and treat the surrounding area with insect repellent (Do not spray the smoke detector itself)
d. If you have hard wired smoke detectors, you may have a loose electrical connection on your AC or AC/DC smoke alarm. In AC or AC/DC smoke alarms, loose connections can intermittently disconnect power to the smoke alarm. The effect is the same as a power failure. When power is restored, the units may sound briefly.
Why do my alarms in my unfinished basement keep sounding the alarm?
Smoke alarms located in environments such as unfinished basements, garages, and attics, tend to be exposed to more dust and insects than those in other rooms. An accumulation of dust in the alarm chamber will cause the alarm to go into alarm. As the dust accumulates in the detecting chamber, the sensitivity will increase causing the frequency of nuisance alarms to increase as well.
Insects can have the same effect and the movement of the insects in and out of the chamber will cause the alarm to go into alarm. If the unit seems to go into alarm mostly at night, it is probably due to insects. Smoke alarms in these environments will have to be cleaned more often.
To clean your alarms, remove them from the wall or ceiling and hold the unit on its side. There is a gap between the front cover and the back plate. Use a vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool or a can of compressed air and clean all around the gap area. Pay most attention to the sensor. The sensor looks like a small tin can with slots in it. This needs to be thoroughly cleaned since there is dust or debris caught in the sensor. This should fix the problem.
Can you explain the differences between the two types of detectors? Is one better than the other?
You are probably referring to ionization and photoelectric smoke detectors. Both types are approved by nationally recognized testing laboratories. Ionization models respond slightly faster to open flaming fires while photoelectric models respond faster to smoldering fires. Ideally, a home should be protected by at least one of each. If you can afford just one type of detector, a photoelectric is recommended. Photoelectric smoke detectors use either an incandescent light bulb or a light emitting diode (LED) to send forth a beam of light. When smoke enters the detector, light from the beam is reflected from the smoke particles into a photocell sensor and the alarm is triggered. The ionization chamber smoke detector has a small radiation source that produces radioactive material, electrically charged air molecules called ions. These ions cause a small electric current to flow in the chamber. Smoke particles entering the chamber attach themselves to the ions, reducing the electrical flow. The change in current sets off the alarm.
How long will the smoke detector battery last in smoke alarm?
It depends on the particular design of your smoke or carbon monoxide detector and the environment in which it is installed. All kinds of detector batteries specified in the user’s manual are acceptable replacement batteries. Regardless of the manufacturer’s suggested battery life, you MUST replace the batteries immediately once the unit starts “chirping” (the “low battery warning”).