Smoke Detectors

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Smoke detectors were originally developed for the prevention of fire outbreaks in industrial buildings such as factories and warehouses, and public buildings where large numbers of people would be...

If your smoke alarms keep going off, there are some simple things you can do to fix the problem. Performing some routine maintenance can help your smoke alarm work properly. Sometimes changing its...

The two types of smoke alarms are the photoelectric smoke alarm and the ionization smoke alarm, each of which works better for a different type of fire. Find out which smoke alarms are best to use...

A smoke alarm uses a circuit board and works when smoke enters the sensing chamber, setting off a loud, audible tone. Find out the difference between ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms with...

Home smoke alarms are battery operated or hard wired machines that use ionization or photoelectric sensors to detect smoke from fires. Discover how smoke disrupts and triggers smoke alarms to...

Smoke detectors notify people of fire at times when they might not otherwise notice, such as when they're asleep. The device sounds an alarm to warn people of danger, giving them sufficient time...

An ion is an atom with a positive or negative charge. In table salt, for example, sodium (Na) has a positive charge, while chlorine (Cl) has a negative charge, which draws them together like two...

Ionization chamber fire alarms use a physical process. An electrical current is established within the alarm's chamber by a radioactive source producing electrically charged molecules in the air....

Smoke detectors save lives every day. The most common smoke detectors use americium, an element that is a byproduct of plutonium 241. The radiation is used to detect the present of smoke or heat...

Smoke detectors save lives, but only if they are installed properly and are well-maintained. Learning about the different types of smoke alarms, how they need to be maintained, and where they...

Smoke detectors save thousands of lives and houses every year. By sounding an alarm, they give families enough time to either put out growing fires or to flee from danger. The law usually does not...

Your home most likely has at least one smoke alarm, but is it enough? Smoke alarms provide an early warning that can save lives, but different fires call for different alarm types.