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Importance of Working Smoke Detectors

Fire Safety

a family relaxing in their living room
Smoke detectors are devices that are installed in a home for the purpose of detecting smoke, which occurs when there is an increase in temperature.

This is important because it indicates a fire, which can be potentially dangerous to your family if not handled properly. With a working smoke detector in place, you can easily detect a fire and take action to put it out before it spreads even further.

In this blog post we will discuss:

The importance of having working smoke detectors; What types of fires should cause alarm; The importance of replacing batteries regularly; Why carbon monoxide alarms may be necessary as well; How to install them and test them for accuracy regularly; How cleaning your home’s air vents can prevent fires from starting; And more… 

Over 3,000 people die each year in house fires in the United States

More than half of fire-related deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors.

Working smoke detectors save lives. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that more than half of fire-related deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors. 

People who live in homes with working smoke alarms are 3 times more likely to survive a home fire than those who don’t have one.

There may be as many as 200,000 annually that are reported by emergency services in the United States alone.

According to the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), about 3,300 fires occur each year that cause an average loss of 15 lives and $44 million in property damage nationwide (2009). These fires resulted from unidentifiable sources such as unattended cooking or heating equipment use; cigarette smoking; careless disposal of smoking materials; discarded matches or lighters; burning candles/incense/flowers etc.

Smoke detectors save lives.
Smoke detectors protect property.
Smoke detectors save money.

The NFPA reports that one working smoke detector is fine for a home with no more than two bedrooms. You need at least one detector on every level of your home.

Guidelines for smoke detectors

  • One should be placed near the stairwell leading up from the basement, because this is where people tend to enter or exit your home.
  • Two should be installed in each bedroom on different walls (one close enough to your bed so that it wakes you up if activated). If you share a bedroom with someone else, place another one right outside each bedroom door (so there are three detectors total around each shared bedroom).
  • One should go near the kitchen stove and another in its general vicinity (it doesn’t matter much where it goes here since most fires start within 6 feet of an open flame). The same goes for living room furniture: place one at least 6 feet away from any open flames like candles or fireplaces. For extra safety measurers, use motion detectors that only turn on when someone walks into their range—this will ensure they don’t always stay on without anyone noticing as they walk by during normal hours of day/night activities (and thus save energy).
  • You must be able to hear the smoke alarm from all areas of your home.
  •  You must be able to hear the smoke alarm from all areas of your home.
  •  Place smoke detectors in every bedroom and on every level of the home, including the basement and attic.
  • Make sure you install them near sleeping areas and not too close to kitchen appliances that may produce cooking odors or steam, which could cause false alarms.

More…

  • Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and batteries replaced every six months.
  • Replace batteries on all your smoke alarms every six months.  An easy way to remember is to change batteries when the time changes twice per year.
  • Don’t wait for the beeping to start before changing a battery—you should replace them as soon as they begin to show signs of weakness (typically after one year).

Why EMC Security monitored smoke detectors are the best option.

With EMC Security professionally monitored smoke detectors, while you’re focused on getting everyone to safety, EMC Security is contacting the fire department.  As soon as we recieve the fire alarm signal, a call is made to authorites – saving ALOT of time .  Additionally, if you are not in the home, the fire department will still be called, after all, if you don’t hear the smoke alarm, it doesn’t matter how many you have.  Monitored smoke detectors start at just $79 each.  

Let EMC Security do the heavy lifting for you – while you focus on getting everyone to safety.  Monitor for fire at no additional monthly cost.

We hope that you are well-informed on the importance of smoke detectors and how they can help to save lives. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.