Choosing the Right Smoke Detector

9/27/2018 (Permalink)

Having a smoke detector in your home is critical to making sure you and your family are safe. You should have one in every bedroom and on every floor of your home. You probably already knew how important these little alarms are, but do you know how to make sure that your smoke detector is a good one?

Smoke detectors can come in any size and shape, and they can be as cheap as $5 or as expensive as $150, so with all of these options, how do you know what to choose? First, there are two different types of detectors: ionized and photoelectric. Some devices are a combination of these two types. Ionized smoke detectors work best when there are actual flames present. They are quick to sound the alarm when a lot of heat is produced. Photoelectric smoke detectors work well with fires that start slow and tend to smolder and create a lot of smoke. Smoldering fires like these are usually pretty silent, so people do not always notice them at first; some people will actually develop breathing problems and pass out before they realize that a fire is occurring.

Both types of alarms are designed to detect fire no matter what, and both will be sufficient to get you and your loved ones out of the house in time as long as you keep up with maintenance such as testing the alarms and replacing batteries when needed. If you feel the need, you can put a mixture of the two types of alarms throughout your house. Regardless of what type you choose, make sure you have them in the kitchen, bedrooms, and any other important places in your home.

If your house or office suffers from a fire loss, call SERVPRO® of Hurst-Euless-Bedford today at 817.595.0004.