Home Removal Services Blog

Most often required by law, fire alarms are one of the most important fixtures in the home today. They are the one safety feature that could save the lives of an entire family. The number of deaths from smoke inhalation that could be prevented each year with the proper use and maintenance of a fire alarm is astounding. The risk of losing one’s home, family or personal possessions is far too great to not have an alarm installed and working properly.

Every fire alarm can be one of two possible types, or may be a combination of the two. Alarms that rely on detecting heated ions drifting through the air use ionization sensors. Detectable ionization occurs primarily in fires that are burning very fast with large open flames moving quickly through the structure. The other type of sensor is known as a photoelectric sensor. This operates by attempting to spot small particles that may be floating through the air. Low, hot-burning fires will throw up particles like this when producing billowing smoke.

Fire alarms can also contain a combination of sensors. These devices are able to detect both hot fires with an ionization sensor and smoldering fires with the photoelectric sensors. These types of units are called dual sensor alarms. They are the most effective technology available to consumers who are trying to protect their home from fire.

No matter what type it is, no fire alarm can be effective if it is not placed in the correct area. Heated gasses tend to rise, and since both types of sensors detect some particles floating in the air, it is important to mount the alarm high up in the room. The manufacturer’s instructions will have exact details, but expect the placement to be on the roof, or very near it.

At least one fire alarm should be placed on each floor of the house. They should be placed inside all of the bedrooms, and outside of the bedrooms as well. An alarm should be placed in the basement, since this is the origin of many fires.

The purpose of a fire alarm is to alert a family to the potential threat of a burning fire. This warning will fall on deaf ears if the family does not have a concise plan in place for what to do in this situation. It is very important that there is more than one escape route planned in the event that certain areas of the home or property become inaccessible due to the fire. There should also be a common meeting place for everyone to assemble once outside. The plan should be memorized and practiced.

Simply installing a fire alarm and having an emergency plan is not enough. Fire alarms require regular maintenance. For battery operated units, this means replacing the batteries every six months. Whether they work or not, they need to be replaced. It also means keeping the unit very clean so that the sensors inside can function properly. A working fire alarm and a prepared family can dramatically increase the chances of escaping a fire unharmed.

Matthew Kerridge is an expert in home security. If you want more information about types of fire alarms or are looking for a reputable fire alarm business please visit http://www.adt.co.uk

Why have home alarm systems been such a commercial success in recent years? What have we missed in today’s social and economic environment? What has changed so drastically to make us more fearful? How has the market responded to our newfound fears? Is it appropriate to say that the market is raising the alarm here?

Setting up and installing an alarm system just does not simply mean that it must just be for burglars or intruders; it can also be for the safety of your whole house as well. If you are a parent or someone that is soon to become one, it is significant that you keep your children safe from electrical outlets that you may have forgotten to unplug such as your hair dryer, electric stove burner or even your hair straightener. You may also forget to unplug your appliances because you have too many things on your mind. Stress can cause you to leave the pot on after you have had your cup of tea or coffee. When you really look at it, there are so many things that can happen at your house, simple things that can lead to a lot of trouble.

The growth of the media has made us so much more aware of the dangers that exist in the world and how they may develop. The news is packed with stories of a rising crime rate, natural disasters and an aging population that needs to be looked after. Advances in technology have made almost any kind of alarm or monitoring system affordable. Devices have been developed to set off the alarm when a fire is detected or when an intruder may present. Photographic equipment has even been developed that allows us to keep an eye our aging parents.

Even small cameras are available to remotely watch our aging loved ones. The new technology is primarily used to sound the alarm in the event our homes are being broken into. Our windows and door locks have been wired to alarm when they are opened the wrong way. The basic homeowner has made this kind of security most popular. Medium and small business have adopted some more sophisticated devices to help protect their property. Devices such as microwave and ultrasonic motion detectors, infrared scanners and photo-electric beams are now used. The alarm can also simply be a flashing light to make the neighbors aware of a situation. An encoded signal is just as easily sent to emergency services. Simply raising the alarm is not always enough. The real action we want depends on the community response. The loud noise or flashing light is only good enough the people that see the light or hear the noise take action immediately.

Just sounding the alarm may not be good enough! The protection we seek depends on the response to the alarm. A simple flashing light or loud noise is only sufficient when the surrounding people act quickly and effectively. Recently, there are all sorts of stories about the elderly person ringing the alarm and being ignored. And there aren’t many people that haven’t completely ignored the blaring car alarm.

Many sophisticated alarm systems have automatic direct links to the local emergency service dispatcher. These systems are even sophisticated enough to send information as to the type of alarm; fire, break-in, or medical emergency. There is a system that advertises its call center capability where you get to talk to someone to describe your emergency. The emergency operator then calls the appropriate emergency service for you. If you are unable to talk for some reason, the operator will simply contact the police, fire department and ambulance corps.

There are actually many different ways in which we can protect not just our children, but ourselves as well. We can never predict what kind of incident may happen, but it is better to be safe than sorry. If you ask most, they’d rather spend a few bucks on these types of alarm systems rather than be the victim of a burglary incident, or a fire accident and lose tons of money.

Matthew Kerridge is an expert in home security. If you would like further information about alarm systems or are looking for a reputable home security company please visit http://www.adt.co.uk