Every year almost 2000 people lose their lives in the USA because of house fires. Not only that, According to National Fire Protection Association, about 50% of major fire occurs while the occupants are sleeping.
So they don’t have enough time to escape when they find out about the fire. During a fire, smoke and toxic gases spread faster than the heat. That’s why the majority of deaths that occur during a fatal fire are because of inhaling too much smoke and toxic gases.
So, smoke alarms important because they can alarm us by making a loud alarming noise whenever they detect smoke.
About two-thirds of fatal fire occurs in households with no smoke alarm. Fire alarms are considered the first-line defense in your household, and not only that, they are also pretty inexpensive. We will discuss why smoke alarms are so important and why you should invest in one.
Are Smoke Detectors Necessary?
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When it comes to your family’s safety, no compromises should be made. Not only are smoke alarms inexpensive, but they are also easy to install and maintain.
These devices alert you whenever they detect smoke in your house and increase your chance of surviving a fatal fire.
There are a plethora of reasons we think smoke detectors are necessary, but here are some of them:
1. They endlessly monitor your household.
Smoke detectors endlessly monitor your household and alert you whenever they detect smoke. Whether you are sleeping or away at work, they look after your home for any sort of smoke.
If a smoke detector is properly installed, it can easily monitor your whole house. Smoke detectors make it easy to escape in case of a fatal fire. They also help protect our valuables by alerting us of smoke before it becomes a major fire.
2. They protect your family.
The biggest advantage of smoke detectors is that they can prevent the loss of someone’s life by alerting them of smoke before it turns into a major fire.
Whether you have elderly at home or kids, the smoke detector will alert them of fire so they can quickly escape. Always ensure the smoke alarms are properly maintained to prove useful during an emergency.
3. They Provide Reassurance.
During this day, when mental health is considered very important, fire alarms help in maintaining good mental health.
Whether you are asleep or at work, fire detectors provide reassurance and can help you keep a piece of mind. A smoke alarm is a godsend for people who suffer from anxiety.
Not only do fire alarms protect your family, but they also give you peace of mind which might improve your mental health.
How Effective Are Fire Alarms?
A properly maintained fire alarm is extremely effective in preventing fire-related deaths. Compared to a household with no fire alarms, it reduces the risk of dying by 54%.
On average, 70% of deaths occur in households with no fire alarms. If every home had a properly maintained fire alarm, approximately 890 lives could be saved annually. A fire alarm is a must in areas like a warehouse, file storage rooms, and around a computer system.
Smoke detectors usually come with one or two types of sensors – Ionization technology and Photoelectric technology.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends installing both types of sensors so they can detect smoke even more effectively.
It is important to maintain the fire alarms properly so they don’t fail during an emergency. They should be cleaned regularly with a vacuum cleaner attachment and replaced every 10 years.
A properly maintained fire alarm increases our survivability compared to houses with no or properly maintained fire alarm.
Do You Need A Smoke Detector In The Kitchen?
Most people avoid installing a smoke detector in the kitchen for fear of it going off during cooking. If the smoke detector goes off every time you cook, it can be a real headache.
But it is important to install a smoke detector in the kitchen since most of the fire in the house starts from there. To avoid smoke detectors going off every time you cook, we recommend installing the smoke detector at least 10 feet away from the stove and oven. If you have a small kitchen, you can install a smoke detector outside the kitchen.
How Do Smoke Alarms Protect Your Safety?
Smoke alarms are extremely important in today’s hectic world. They can detect smoke way before occupants do and give them critical time to save their lives or minimize damage if possible. As soon as a smoke alarm detects any smoke, it emits a loud noise alerting everyone in your household.
Not just that, the smoke alarm also helps in protecting your valuable assets. There are two types of smoke alarm sensors – Ionization technology and Photoelectric technology.
When it comes to ionization detectors, they are more effective at sensing small smoke particles. Hot flaming fires mainly produce these particles.
These kinds of fires spread fast by consuming combustible materials. But when it comes to photoelectric detectors, they tend to be more effective at sensing large smoke particles. Smoldering fires mainly produce these particles.
These kinds of fires burn slowly for hours before breaking into flames. According to National Fire Protection Association, we recommend using both types of sensors to be more effective.
What Is The Main Reason That Smoke Alarms Fail?
There could be a bunch of reasons for the failure of the smoke alarms, and some of these are:
- The smoke alarm wasn’t properly maintained
- The smoke alarm’s battery was dead, or there was no hardwired power.
- The smoke alarm might not work if they were painted over.
- The smoke alarm was not operational.
- The smoke alarm was not installed in the proper places.
- The smoke alarm hasn’t been replaced in over 10 years.
- For the hard-wired alarms, there might have been some abnormality with the electrical wires.
- The smoke alarm wasn’t audible.
These are the main reasons behind the failure of the smoke alarm. you should disable them.
Final Talk
Whether it is required by your state to have a smoke alarm in every household or not, we do think every household and business should have a smoke alarm.
A smoke alarm can provide crucial time, which can be a difference between life and death. Always ensure that the smoke alarm is properly maintained to come in handy in case of any emergency.
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