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Having working smoke alarms at home and in the workplace is one of the most important things you can do to for the safety of the people in the building. In a fire, you can have as little as two minutes to get out once the smoke alarm sounds – that’s how essential it is to know that they’ll work, and to know what to do when they go off.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about using smoke detectors safely so that your family is as protected as possible.
Install
Of course, in order for smoke detectors to save you in case of emergency, you have to have them in the first place.
There are several different options for smoke detectors on the market, with the two most common being ionization and photoelectric. Ionization alarms respond best to flaming fires, and photoelectric respond best to smoldering fires. Either can work in a home environment. Make sure whatever you choose, it’s a type that works for the members of your family. For example, if you have a deaf family member, you’ll need an alarm with visual effects as well as auditory.
Next, make sure you distribute them properly throughout the home. In a home, a smoke detector should be placed in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area, and on each level of the home including the basement. Ideally, the smoke alarms will be interconnected, meaning if one goes off, they all go off. They also need to be installed in the right locations – either on the ceiling, or high up on a wall. Consider using photoelectric alarms outside bathrooms or the kitchen, to reduce false alarms.
Test
Once you have alarms installed everywhere they need to go, it’s important to do proper testing on alarms. They should be tested monthly by pushing the test button, and if any don’t work, they will need to have batteries replaced or be replaced entirely. They also need to be kept clean in the interim, following manufacturer instructions around that.
During this monthly test, it’s a great time to also practice with your family what to do if the alarms go off. To make a home fire escape plan, draw a map of your home, then identify two ways out of each room. Pick an outside meeting place away from your home to meet up, and take considerations for family members who might need help exiting, such as children or those with disabilities. Finally, make sure your house number is visible from the street and unobstructed.
If you don’t want to practice monthly, you should practice at least twice a year – once in the day, once at night – to make sure everyone knows what to do in case of emergency.
Replace
Whether they’re working or not, smoke detectors need to be replaced every ten years. If during a monthly test a detector is found to not respond after a change of batteries, it also needs to be replaced. Then, be sure to test it again to make sure the new one works correctly, and connects properly to the other alarms if you have an interconnected system.
Fire safety can be overwhelming – especially at the corporate level. We at CertaSite are here to help. We’d love to work with you on a custom fire solution for your business. Need help at home too? Check out our blog for other articles around home fire safety.
