Fire Alarms Can Save Lives

Fires are one of the most preventable accidents in the home, yet many people die in a house fire due to faulty or missing fire alarms. Using and maintaining proper fire alarm equipment can prevent deaths. Fire alarms, when used correctly, can save lives by alerting you to smoke or heat.

All smoke detectors alert you to smoke in the air, but some can also alert you to carbon monoxide, which is odorless and can kill you. Smoke detectors should be placed in each room of your house. Some large areas may require two or more smoke detectors. Most smoke detectors rely on a 9-volt battery that should be changed every year. Smoke detectors in newer homes must be wired into the electric system, but they do contain a backup battery. Regardless of how the smoke detector is powered, it should be checked every year to make sure it works properly. The smoke detector is only as good as the battery or electricity that feeds it.

Heat detectors can save lives by alerting you to a large temperature increase or dramatic change in temperature. A rate-of-raise heat detector determines how fast the temperature is changing. A quick rise in temperature over one minute can sound the alarm. A fixed temperature heat detector measures a large increase in temperature, and will sound when it reaches the temperature threshold.

Heat detectors should never replace a smoke detector because smoke from the fire may kill you before the heat detector sounds. Heat detectors can be used to compliment smoke detectors. In fact, heat detectors are best used in areas that smoke detectors cannot be placed, like the kitchen. Before purchasing a heat detector, be sure to choose the right one to match your location. For instance, do not place a rate-of-rise heat detector in a room where the heat can rise quickly, or it can sound needlessly and become annoying.

Sprinklers systems can save lives by putting out a fire before it has the chance to destroy the entire house. Once a specific temperature is reached, the sprinklers will release water over the fire. Each sprinkler head must be activated in order to release water. If a fire breaks out in one area of the house, only the sprinkler heads in that area will release water. This gives the sprinkler heads more pressure and water to put out the fire.

While a sprinkler system can cause water damage, it can save your home from complete destruction. Waiting for firefighters to extinguish the flames can cause a bigger fire, and more water is needed to put it out. It is much cheaper to repair a small area of water damage than it is to replace your entire home.

Fire alarms can save your life and your pocketbook. A smoke detector can save your life, but the combination of a smoke detector, heat detector, and sprinkler system can save you thousands of dollars worth of damage.

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