Smoke Detectors

Smoke alarms are vital resources in any home, but especially where children reside. Early detection of fire by a smoke alarm saves lives and allows parents time to assist children in exiting the...

Smoke detectors are essential to public safety---they protect lives and property from the threat of fire and smoke damage. When smoke is detected, the device emits a high-pitched sound, vibrates...

On December 14, 2009, a family of three in Dallas, Texas tragically died after they attempted to use an outdoor propane heater to heat their home. Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous because...

False alarms are usually caused by the poor location of a smoke alarm or dirt fouling it. You may need to relocate or clean the alarm. Keep alarms away from drafty areas. Steamy bathrooms and...

Ionized alarms and photoelectric technology alarms work slightly differently. Ionization technology tends to be better for detecting small particles, which are common in flaming fires....

Smoke alarms shouldn't be switched off or disconnected. If they sound too frequently you should relocate the alarm. Smoke alarms can be turned off for a period, however. They have a silence...

You should have smoke detectors installed in your home. You should also have a fire extinguisher and know how to operate it correctly.

Smoke detectors, while key in providing warnings of imminent danger, can frustrate and annoy household users when they malfunction. Frequent beeps and false alarms can lead to users ignoring the...

Carbon monoxide detectors save many lives each year. They work by warning that toxic gas is present inside a home. An alarm sounds before residents are exposed to hazardous carbon monoxide levels....

It is so important for children to be prepared in the event of a fire. The smoke detector is designed to alert families to the possibility of a fire, but some children do not hear the high-pitched...

Keeping a fire extinguisher in your home is one of the best ways to protect yourself, your home and your family from cooking fires and other hazards. Fire departments across the country recommend...

Smoke alarms can save lives by alerting people to fires in their homes while there is still time to evacuate the house safely. Because of the proven effectiveness of these devices, there are...

Few, if any, would argue the wisdom of checking the batteries in household smoke detectors every six months. You may not realize, though, that the smoke detector itself needs to be replaced...

The Federal Housing Administration is a part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Part of its mandated duties is the administration of mortgages for single-family homes---FHA...

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that cannot be seen. Fuel-burning appliances in your home produce the carbon monoxide, which is not harmful unless something prevents the gas from...

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, a functioning smoke alarm is a necessity in any household. When working properly a smoke alarm can save your life in the event of a fire. There are two...

We pass under our smoke detectors each day, running in and out of our homes without giving them a second thought. When the seasons change, stop and take time to test your smoke detector. It does...

Most smoke detectors today contain a small amount of radiation called Americium-241; for the average consumer, having radiation in your home can be a frightening prospect. However, the levels of...

In a late-night house fire, smoke inhalation could kill you long before flames reach your room. Smoke and heat detectors---with alarms that sound at very loud chirps and high frequencies---can be...

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has a number of requirements for the use and placement of smoke detectors within the home. These provisions are only necessary when new construction is...

Throughout America, smoke detectors use a type of radioactive material known as americium-241. This element is necessary to allow the smoke detectors to work properly. Although the element is...

Smoke detectors in the United States are radioactive due to the presence of an element necessary for their proper function. Without the radioactive element, there is no way for the average smoke...

Smoke alarms save lives on a regular basis, sounding a warning at the possible start of a fire. However, the false alarms often annoy and frustrate users. Understanding the causes can help you...

Smoke alarms are some of the most important life-saving devices available. Used in businesses and households across America, smoke alarms give advanced warning to a building's occupants of the...

Smoke detectors, among the most significant inventions to promote fire safety in the last 100 years, come in various shapes and sizes. The two main types of detectors are known as photoelectric...

Fires kill thousands every year in their homes, especially at night when people are asleep. Such tragedies can be averted, however, because smoke detectors can and do save lives when used...

Fire alarms are a crucial part of any building's safety and security. Fire alarms not only protect people from potentially dangerous situations, they alert firefighting personnel, decreasing the...

Fire alarms provide safety and security to millions of Americans, and they help to warn a building's occupants of potential life-threatening danger. When a fire alarm chirps, it is no small...

Fire alarms are a very important part of safety in homes, public buildings and other businesses today. Although they are not completely effective in every situation, fire alarms have drastically...

Smoke alarms, found in almost every home and business in America, save lives on a daily basis. Although they can be annoying, the loud and persistent alarms warn a building's occupants of fire and...

Advancements in fire alarm technology have saved thousands of lives every day. However, smoke detectors and fire alarms are often taken for granted. Today almost every business and home uses the...

While fire prevention has seen great improvements in recent years, malfunctioning smoke detectors have caused frustration and grief in many homes. Smoke alarms are vitally important to the safety...

Smoke detectors save lives. They can also emit unwanted sounds at inconvenient times. Learning about smoke detectors and how to properly troubleshoot problems can cut down on false alarms and keep...

Residential smoke alarms save lives daily. However, 14 percent of U.S. homes do not have smoke alarms. In addition, a third of smoke alarms in U.S. homes do not work, according to the Los Angeles...

Smelling smoke in your house should not be the only indication that there is a fire. Smoke detectors should awaken you or get your attention before a blaze becomes out of control. Fire alarms are...

An ANSUL system is a sophisticated method of extinguishing fires. There are several types of ANSUL systems and products, which are each for use in a specific location or on a specific type of...

Two main types of smoke alarms have their own strengths and weaknesses. Fire safety experts agree, however, that having a properly maintained smoke detector of any type can protect families, homes...

Fewer than half the homes in which fires were reported from 2003 to 2006 had working smoke alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). You can reduce your chances of...

Though smoke detectors and heat detectors perform different functions, both can save lives during a fire. Smoke detectors are a more common fixture in homes, but heat detectors have several...

Smoke detectors are devices that are designed to save lives in the event of a fire. For detectors to work properly, the unit's batteries must be changed on a regular basis. It's a good idea to...

Consumers generally can choose between two main types of smoke alarms, both of which have strengths and weaknesses. But fire safety experts believe just having a smoke detector--any smoke...

Smoke detectors are designed to alert people to seek safety in the event of fires in dwellings and other buildings. But merely having the devices installed is not enough to ensure safety. Care and...

Fires and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning kill thousands of people in their homes. About 3,000 people are killed by home fires each year in the United States, according to FireSafety.gov. Fire...

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 3,000 people died from fires in 2008, with 84 percent of fatal fires happening in homes and other dwellings. Unless you see a fire start, you...

In 2007, the National Fire Protection Association reported more than 1.5 million fires in the United States. Smoke alarms are standard in new homes and easy to install in older homes. Smoke alarms...

Fire safety organizations consider smoke detectors and smoke alarms to be the most important device in the prevention of deaths and injuries from fires. Many of these organizations sponsor...

A smoke alarm that is properly installed and maintained can very well save your life and those of loved ones in your home. Smoke alarms serve as early warning signals at the onset of a fire. They...

Smoke alarms are used to detect the presence of a fire in your home, emitting a warning in the form of an alarm or buzzer. That can provide invaluable time for the residents to get out of the home...

In the U.S., 500 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Underwriters Limited (UL), an independent, product-safety certification group. Because carbon monoxide is...

Almost all residences and businesses are equipped with smoke detectors to alert residents or employees to a possible fire. However, where the smoke detector is placed could make a difference in...