Why every household needs a working smoke alarm
Smoke alarm safety check - get ready for winter. The SA Metropolitan Fire Service has found that about 45 per cent of South Australian homes who experienced a fire had smoke alarms that were not working properly.
Working smoke alarms can save your belongings and your home. Most importantly however, a smoke alarm will give you enough time to remove yourself and your family out of harm’s way in the event of a fire.
The SA Metropolitan Fire Service has found that 45 per cent of South Australian homes who experienced a fire had smoke alarms that were not working properly.
Even more concerning though is that non-working smoke alarms increase the incidence of losing a home or worse, being injured in a fire by 80 per cent. Statistics such as these highlight that a working smoke alarm is an essential item to keep you and your family safe at home this winter.
Why do I need a smoke alarm?
When you sleep your sense of smell is reduced. Noises can wake you but scents and smells in most cases will not which is why people can get trapped in fires at home. A small fire takes only take two to three minutes to envelope an entire room and a delayed reaction might be those few seconds you need to get outside to safety.
Smoke also obscures your vision and irritates your eyes and inhaling toxic fumes causes disorientation and impairs your judgement. These effects reduce your capacity to make constructive decisions for your safety. And most fire-related deaths are a result of inhaling toxic fire gases rather than from the fire itself.
The solution is to avoid these escalating events and make sure you have a working smoke alarm in your home. A smoke alarm will alert you, whether you are awake or asleep, and give you those extra seconds you need in the event of a fire to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones.
What’s the best location for smoke alarms?
A smoke alarm should be installed on every level of your home and in corridors that lead to bedrooms, on the ceiling or close to the ceiling.
There are different types of smoke alarms but the SA Metropolitan Fire Service recommends that the best protection is provided by photo-electric smoke alarms which are hard-wired and interconnected to all other alarms in the house. Interconnecting them means that if one alarm senses smoke in one part of the house, every alarm in the house will be triggered. Alarms can be interconnected by wires in the ceiling space or wirelessly.
Smoke alarm safety check for peace of mind
Have peace of mind knowing your smoke alarms are tested and working. We have introduced a Smoke Alarm Safety Check for homeowners.
This safety check includes:
- Attend property and visually inspect all smoke detectors
- Check the correct operation, placement and compliance of each detector
- Clean detector and surrounding areas
- Replace 9V battery in all smoke detectors if required
- Document location, type, age and condition of each smoke detector
Whilst on site, we can supply and replace faulty or expired smoke alarms. This includes both 10 year lithium alarms or 240v hardwired alarms. Interconnecting smoke alarms can be quoted by our electrician while they are at your home.
Book now or call us on 8364 5855 to book.
