Tips and Advice On Choosing and Fitting Smoke Alarm
If you are concerned about fire safety in your home, you should consider contacting a company that specialises in fire protection services. One of the key weapons in your home fire prevention arsenal is smoke alarms. Smoke alarms can alert you, your family, and your neighbours to the danger of a fire, allowing you to escape unharmed. Although your contractor will test and replace your smoke alarms for you if necessary, it's a good idea if you know how to choose and fit them yourself.
Read on for some helpful guidelines.
Where can you get a smoke alarm?
Your contractor will supply you with smoke alarms if necessary, but you can also buy them in most DIY or electrical shops and supermarkets. In addition, your local fire department will install fire alarms free of charge to elderly and disabled people.
How to choose and fit a smoke alarm
- When you buy a smoke alarm, make sure that it meets the current national safety standards; reputable brands will be clearly marked as such.
- You should fit a smoke alarm on every level of your home, on a ceiling or high up on a wall.
- Every room that has fire risk should have a smoke alarm fitted.
- Don't fit a smoke alarm in your bathroom, as steam and condensation can damage the alarm or set it off accidentally. Instead, place the alarm outside the bathroom door so that the room is still covered.
- Always choose a smoke alarm that has a 10-year battery. This will save you money in the long term, and there's less chance of you being left without cover if you forget to change the battery.
- If the low battery warning light shows, change the battery, and then test the alarm to make sure it works correctly.
- Carry out a test on every smoke alarm in your house once a week.
- If you are hard of hearing or deaf, choose a smoke alarm that has a strobe light feature or a vibrating pad.
- Read the manufacturer's directions carefully before fitting your smoke alarms. Most battery-operated alarms can be simply fitted by way of an adhesive pad on the reverse of the alarm box.
In conclusion
A smoke alarm could alert you and your family to the danger of a fire in your home, potentially saving lives. For more advice on fitting and testing smoke alarms, have a chat with your fire protection service company.