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Information on Smoke Alarms

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the chances of succumbing to the effects of a reported fire are cut in half if the structure on fire has a workable smoke alarm. In addition to dying from exposure to flames, people have also succumbed to the effects of a smoldering fire. A good smoke alarm system will detect both.

  1. Types of Fires

    • Two types of fires cause death and injury: smoldering fires and flaming fires. Smoldering fires pose a threat to firefighters as well as to the occupants of a burning structure. In smoldering fires, toxic synthetic materials -- usually found in most households -- give off fumes as they burn. For this reason, firefighting gear includes respiratory protection. When some of these substances are smoldering, they emit carbon dioxide, which can actually be fatal. There also exists a connection between burning toxins and the occurrence of brain cancer. Epidemiologist Kristin Aronson, whose specialty is cancer, looked into the causes of death of 6,000 firefighters in Toronto. She cited toxic vapors in smoke as the likely culprit.

    Types of Smoke Alarms

    • The two basic types of smoke alarms are ionization and photoelectric. Ionization alarms sound quickly when there is a fast, flaming fire. The photoelectric variety works fast to sense smoldering, which involves very little actual fire. Dual sensor smoke alarms possess the combined qualities of both. Because the kind of fire that may permeate a dwelling cannot be predetermined, both varieties of smoke alarm -- or a dual sensor type -- should be installed in the home. For the hearing impaired, alarms exist that use flashing light or vibration to alert people to a fire.

    Purchase and Installation

    • Buy smoke alarms in a hardware or home goods store. Fire departments occasionally sell them for a nominal cost. Follow the instructions accompanying the alarm and keep the directions for testing and maintenance. The NFPA recommends that smoke alarms be installed in all bedrooms and on all floors of a dwelling. Areas outside of each sleeping area should be covered as well. The NFPA also says to have all alarms interconnected. That way, when an alarm closest to the source of fire goes off, all others will sound as well.

    Testing and Maintenance

    • Always make sure the batteries are properly installed and have not become obsolete. Replace batteries once a year or less. A "chirping" sound indicates the batteries are very low, in which case they should be replaced right away. Test a smoke alarm by pushing the test button. It will beep or make a similar sound if it is working.

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