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Reduce injury in homes with appropriate smoke detection
Fire prevention and detection for the home are very important. Every year in Canada there are around 24,000 house fires that lead to an estimated 377 deaths and 3,048 injuries. Homeowners, landlords and tenants should all be aware as this number is climbing each year. To keep families safe in the event of a fire they should look to invest in a fire prevention and detection system. This way families can be immediately alerted of any potential fires in order to reduce the risk of death and damage.
October 2, 2016 By Simon Parker
Reasons for Detection
Every home needs a smoke detector to help protect their family. At the first sign of smoke the family needs to be notified so they can get out of the home safe. Furthermore the alarms should be loud enough to wake a family if they are sleeping during a fire and the detectors can ensure that the family exit the home safely.
Additional Detection
Smoke alarms must be in every home. Modern fire alarms are able to detect fire as well as carbon monoxide. This silent killer is odorless and colorless. It is important that it is detected as soon as possible so that the family can exit the home before it is too late. A smoke alarm and CO detector should be placed in each bedroom, a finished attic, the basement, and there should be at least one on every floor of the home.
Power Sources
There are different types of smoke alarms in the home. Many are battery powered. This is usually fine as long as a person checks the batteries on a regular basis to ensure that they are working. There are now alarms that are run by interconnect ability sources, whereby a person can connect to these alarms wirelessly. If they are not in the home and the alarm is sounded, they can be notified immediately on their smartphone. These alarms run on both batteries and can be wired into the electrical system. Alarms now have additional features such as strobe lights and safety lights. When the alarm sounds the light will also flash. This will help the family make their way out of the home even when it is dark. Alarm systems may also be monitored by security companies. When the fire alarm sounds, the company will automatically contact the fire department which will save a lot of time and help the professional get to the home faster.
Quality
When purchasing a smoke detector for the home there are some things that a person should look for. The detector should have the UL stamp. This means the detector was tested and met the standards that were set forth by the Underwriters Laboratories Standards. Also check the date of the detector. As they age they can lose effectiveness so look for a detector that was manufactured in the past six months.
Ionization
This is a new type of smoke detector that is becoming very popular. This smoke detector can detect the smallest amount of smoke. When even a little smoke enters the detector they are able to create an electric current between the metal plates in the detector. The tiniest flame can be detected allowing the family more time to escape and get to safety.
Photoelectric
This detector contains sources of light that are positioned around the detector at a 90 degree angle. When smoke enters the chamber, the light will not be able to touch the sensor and it will scatter. This will cause the alarm to sound. These smoke detectors are some of the fastest that are able to detect smoke.
These are just some of the modern smoke detectors that can be used to alert the family in case of an emergency. When there is a fire, seconds matter and if the detector is able to alert the family quickly they have a better chance of getting out of the home safely.
Minerva Integated Security Servives is an integrated fire and security service provider based in the U.K.
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