Smoke Alarms and Your Safety
You may be here because you are wondering whether you need any smoke alarms. Or, maybe you are here to know if your smoke alarms are the right ones or are enough to warn you in case of a fire. With the overwhelming amount of information you can get online, it is natural to wonder if you are doing the right thing and whether or not you need any changes. But don’t worry! We are here to make things simple so that you can best choose the perfect option to make your home a safe space!
If you already have a smoke alarm in your home, good job! We will see later in this article about the placement and number of alarms you need for optimum safety. If you haven’t any smoke alarms yet, consider including them in your home, as they are beneficial and may save your life one day. Implementing this safety measure in your home is vital, especially with the number of electrical devices in our homes that may lead to a fire hazard. Emergencies like these happen without any forewarning, and having this safety device can make all the difference.
If you have one smoke alarm in your home, that is helpful, but having multiple working smoke alarms throughout your home increases your overall security. Now, if you are feeling frustrated about needing multiple alarms and wondering how you would know how many you would need, let us clarify the doubts for you. Don’t fret; read on!
Why do we Need Multiple Smoke Alarms?
There is not a specific number of smoke alarms you should have, but it depends on the overall layout of your house and the number of rooms present. And let’s take the question of why we need multiple smoke alarms out of the picture. It is because smoke in one area of your home may not alert the smoke alarm in another part of your home.
And by the time it does, the fire might have spread more than you would want. If there is a fire behind closed doors, you would surely like to be notified in time to get to a safe zone! It is scary to wake up to a smoke alarm alerting you a little late, only to realise you are now locked in your room with smoke and flames outside. It is natural to pass out or get disoriented because of the smoke, which we want to prevent at all costs.
The need for multiple smoke alarms may seem excessive, but you want to avoid playing with fire or taking risks when it comes to the safety of you and your loved ones.
Where to Install Smoke Alarms?
Now that we know why it is optimum to have multiple smoke alarms, it is equally important to install them correctly and according to your house’s layout. The basic idea is to cover each area of your home accurately while avoiding areas that may trigger a false alarm.
Australian Standards and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home. You also want all the smoke alarms on the higher levels as smoke rises quickly. Consider having a smoke alarm in the centre of your living room and having all your common areas and the areas outside your bedrooms covered. If you have a basement, it would be appropriate to have a smoke alarm installed near the top of the stairs.
Install them in the kitchen at least 10 feet from your cooking appliances, and avoid having them in your bathrooms to minimise steam leading to false warnings. Now, here’s where you should avoid installing a smoke alarm – near windows, doors, and ducts. Why? So that drafts will refrain from interfering with their function.
It is always better to be safe than sorry, so we understand if you want to know some specifics. And in that case, don’t hesitate to contact Olympic Electricals at 02 899 936 91; we are always happy to help!
Choosing the Right Smoke Alarms for Your Home
You can choose from various smoke alarms, but there are some things you can consider. There are hardwired smoke alarms, and there are battery-operated smoke alarms.
1. Hardwired Smoke Alarms
Hardwired smoke alarms are interconnected and are wired directly into your home’s electrical system. They are safe, efficient, easy to maintain, and in compliance with the local safety codes. To avoid mishaps, install your hardwired smoke alarms from a licensed electrician.
2. Battery-Operated Smoke Alarms
Battery-operated smoke alarms are easier to install. What is essential when it comes to it is you need to check the battery on a timely basis and make sure it is maintained. You have to replace the batteries when required as that is the only power source it has, and it is utterly useless without its battery.
What you can do is, have a combination of smoke alarms. Talk to your electrician about whether you should opt for an Ionisation-based, Photoelectric-based, hardwired, or battery-operated smoke alarm. Installing both types of technologies will prove optimum for your protection.
And with all the information you can get online, obtaining professional opinions from the electrical field of work experts is still best.
Contact us Today and get a Free Quote
Olympic Electrical proudly serves residents throughout the Sydney region. We serve residents in Northern Suburbs, Eastern Suburbs, Inner West, Sutherland Shire, North Shore, Hills District, and more.
Contact us today if you have more questions or want to know about our services. We will be happy to help; we are one of Sydney’s best and most recommended electricians. Our team of technicians is fully trained, licensed, and experienced.
