Fire Safety Guide: Working and Maintenance of Smoke Alarms

Posted by Aylesford Fire on October 10th, 2019

Smoke alarms play a big role in residential as well as commercial fire safety. In fact, a working smoke alarm can enhance the chances of surviving a fire up to 50%. So, installing smoke alarms strategically throughout your building is the best way to detect the fire quickly and save lives. Often, these small devices are overlooked and forgotten after installation. However, this can cost you huge and compromise with the safety of people working or living in the building. So, in this post, their importance, working, and maintenance tips are shared with you. 

Why are smoke alarms important?

According to studies, residential fires in Kent, UK account for a huge share of fire-related deaths. In most of these cases, investigators usually find that smoke alarms don’t go off. This either means the smoke alarm was disconnected or it needed new batteries. 

So, it is always recommended to have a correctly installed and well-maintained smoke alarms to minimize the dangers of a fire-related injury or fatality. 

How do smoke alarms work?

One should install a smoke alarm on the ceiling of each floor of the house including the basement. Besides, there should be at least one smoke alarm installed in the hallway to the bedroom.

There are two types of smoke detectors, ionization and photoelectric and both react to different types of fires. 

In the ionization detector, there is a small chamber with small electrical current. When smoke enters the chamber, smoke particles disrupt the electrical current due to which alarm goes off. This type of smoke alarm reacts fast to flaming fires which give off plenty of heat and hot gases. 

On the other hand, photoelectric smoke alarms use a beam of light to sense if there is smoke present in the air. When the air is clear, this beam forms a straight line and as it senses smoke particles, the alarm is triggered. 

In Kent, there are also dual sensor smoke alarms available that are made with both technologies. 

How to maintain smoke alarms

Check your smoke alarms once a month to ensure that they are working properly. To test them, simply push the test button and listen to see if they make a loud sound. 

To test the sensor, spray an aerosol can of smoke or strong incense until the smoke makes the alarm go off. When an alarm goes off, don’t panic as it takes a few minutes for the sound to stop. 

Make a general rule when it comes to replacing batteries in smoke alarms. Their batteries should be changed twice a year, in the fall and the spring. Don’t install rechargeable batteries as they will lose their charge without any warning. 

Smoke alarms are said to have a lifespan of around 10 years even if you do monthly maintenance. So, when their lifetime ends, buy new smoke alarms from a reliable service provider in Kent and get them installed by a professional to ensure accuracy. 

Always remember that smoke alarms save lives. They are crucial when it comes to you and your family’s safety.  

Looking to buy smoke alarms in Maidstone, Kent? Before considering any service provider, make sure you read the reviews online.