Smoke Detectors Narragansett RI

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 2005, there were over 500,000 house fires in the United States that resulted in over 3,000 civilian deaths. With over 15,000 injuries and $9 billion in property damages, the numbers are daunting.

The most common causes of fire reported to the NFPA were kitchen related and closely followed by heating equipment. The two greatest dangers for starting a fire are in every home and are unavoidable in all but the mildest of climates. Because everyone must eat and heat their homes, aside from using the safest heating and cooking equipment and using them properly, there is little that can be done to avoid the risk altogether.

There are things you can do to prevent fire and to reduce your risk of injury or death. First and foremost is to utilize good safety precautions in the kitchen and be certain that all your heating equipment and chimneys are properly maintained. Many fires start every day from something as simple as a hot pad left on a burner or a pan of oil left on a stove that wasn't turned off. Trying to avoid this type of accident is a fundamental part of fire prevention, but unfortunately this is still the leading cause of fire in the United States.

One of the greatest aids to fire safety is the effective use of smoke detectors. To effectively protect your home from the risk of fire, smoke detectors should be installed properly. Once installed, they must be maintained correctly and replaced when necessary. With proper use, smoke detectors can drastically increase your chances of surviving a fire in your home.

With over half of fatalities occurring at night while people are sleeping, it is imperative that people protect themselves against the dangers of sleeping through a fire. Smoke inhalation is the most common actual cause of death, and people often never wake up or know the eminent danger they are faced with. As many as 85% of people who suffered death from fire, lived in homes which either had no smoke detector or had one that was not functioning properly. Sadly, over half these deaths could have been avoided with the proper use of home smoke detectors that were maintained and replaced as needed. Changing batteries regularly and purchasing new smoke detectors at least every ten years are some of the easiest ways to protect your family from the dangers of a fire.

The danger of smoke inhalation is evident and public education programs continue to provide valuable information to consumers; however, there is still a great lack of proper use of smoke detectors when they are present. When smoke detectors are present, they are most often not functional. Some studies estimate as many as one in three home smoke detectors are not functioning properly.

With all this information available, it is astounding that there is not a properly functioning smoke detector in every home in the United States. Where smoke detectors are used and maintained, there may also be a shortage in numbers needed in the home. For proper protection, it is vital to understand how many are needed, where to locate them, and how to maintain and replace them before they fail. The most common cause of failure is lack of batteries or dead batteries, and malfunctioning units that are old or damaged.

There are two types of smoke detectors to consider installing in your home. The two types are ionization and photoelectric, and each detects smoke differently. The differences in methods of detection also make each type better at detecting different kinds of smoke.

Ionization smoke detectors work by using small amounts of radioactive materials that cause the air inside the sensing chamber to become ionized. The sensing chamber then becomes conductive to electric current. Two electrodes are used to pass the current across the sensing chamber. When smoke particles enter the chamber, the flow of electricity is slowed or stopped, causing the alarm to sound. This is the most commonly used type of smoke detector in homes. It is most effective in detecting smoke from flaming fires, and it responds faster than the photoelectric type smoke detector.

If ionization types respond faster, then why even consider photoelectric smoke detectors? These work by emitting a light into the sensing chamber, which is detected by a sensor. When smoke enters, it can be detected by the sensor and the alarm will sound. The advantage to this type of smoke detector is that it is very good at sensing smoldering fires such as a cigarette that has fallen on a couch.

Ideally, both types of smoke detectors should be installed on each level of the home, providing the most protection. With both types installed, they will easily detect hot flaming fires, as well as slow smoldering fires. Ionization smoke detectors are ideal for the kitchen or places where hot flaming fires are likely. Photoelectric smoke detectors are good to use in other areas where smoldering fires may occur.