If there were a fire in your home tonight, would you be prepared? Most home fires start late at night, and can quickly burn down an unprepared home, and can even kill the occupants before they are aware that there is a fire. The U.S. government suggests keeping several working smoke detectors inside their homes.
Even if you think you would wake up and smell the fire before it becomes dangerous, is that really a risk you are willing to take with the lives of your loved ones? Purchasing several of these detectors, as well as carbon monoxide detectors, is a simple way to prevent a horrible tragedy in your family.
Every general hardware and home supply store carries battery operated smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors for carbon monoxide detection. Most of these are powered by 9-volt batteries. Read the back of the box to be sure you know which type of batteries you need to buy.
Purchase enough to cover each level of your home. Install an alarm inside many different areas of your house. Some communities have a service where the fire department will come to your home and install the alarms for you. This service is very handy for the elderly and for those unable to move easily on their own.
After you have installed your smoke detectors, they should be ready to go. It is good to replace the batteries in your alarms, as well as your carbon monoxide detectors, at least once a year. As a part of semi-annual home maintenance, it is recommended that you add a field on your list for changing the batteries.
The entire alarm unit should be replaced within 10 years of the original purchase. Do not be surprised if your new alarm goes off while you are cooking. The alarm is working properly if this happens, so take comfort in knowing that simple fact.
Your new smoke detectors should last for a long time after the date of purchase. Be sure to record when you bought the alarms somewhere in a household record. Monthly testing of your alarms is a necessary preventative maintenance task for your home.
It is also wise to sit down and plan with your family what to do in the event of a fire emergency or if your carbon monoxide detectors go off. There is no such thing as being too prepared. Being prepared with a system of alarms backed up with extinguishers and an escape plan, as well as two way radios for contact if separated, will maximize your chances of getting out alive.
The most commonly suggested step is to fit your house with smoke alarms and to regularly check that they have working batteries. Indeed, you may have heard this tip many times before, but it's one that cannot be overemphasised. The common link between almost two-thirds of house fires is that those properties do not have smoke alarms.
In fact, the majority of deaths in house fires are not from burns, but instead from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases which spread more quickly through the house. Therefore, without smoke detectors, these can often go through the house unnoticed, especially at night.. But working smoke detectors can respond to these gases at any time, and their shrill warning sounds are designed to wake even the heaviest of sleeper.
It is suggested that smoke alarms are fitted on every floor of a property and that they should also be inside every bedroom, with one in the hall outside each sleeping quarter. Smoke alarms close to kitchen appliances or fireplaces may result in nuisance alarms, so choose your positioning carefully.
What's more, if you ever find yourself in a situation when you need to evacuate your home, make sure you alert all the people inside and get out as quickly as possible. While it's tempting to try to save possessions, this is not recommended as every extra second spent in a burning building makes it increasingly dangerous.
For peace of mind, it's a good idea to get an expert to check your house for you. Many fire and rescue services offer this service for free and they focus on ways to minimise potential fire risks, ensure you have working smoke alarms and help to plan an escape route in case of fire. These and fire advice could save lives, belongings and money - especially as a home insurance quote is likely to rise after any claims related to fire.
It is also important to understand that smoke alarms should be checked monthly; and it is recommended that batteries are changed at least yearly. A good time to do this is in spring or autumn, as you'll have a timely reminder that, as you go around your house changing clocks, you should attend to your smoke alarms as well. The actual device itself should be used for a maximum of ten years, but if you suspect it needs replacing before then it would be beneficial to do so.
While it may be easy to put off these tasks, they are only small inconveniences for the huge benefit you, your loved ones and your home will receive from a working smoke detector.
Both Mike Selvon & Andrew Regan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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