How to Maintain Your Smoke Alarm

5/4/2020 (Permalink)

Fire alarms can help you get out safely!

A smoke alarm is an important device that should be present in every Raleigh, NC home.

If the fire is small, an alarm may be able to notify you in time to prevent the flames from spreading and causing severe damage. In cases of larger fires, it can allow you to leave the building safely and prevent harm to you and your family.

Types of Alarms
When it comes to your smoke alarm, there are a few different types that you could have. These include:

• Traditional battery-powered alarms
• Lithium battery-powered alarms
• Hard-wired alarms

Hard-wired alarms are connected to your home’s electrical system which can make them a more reliable choice. They also use back-up batteries, so the alarm will still sound if the power is out. Along with different power sources, alarms also come in photoelectric and ionization varieties that detect smoke in different ways. You can also purchase a dual-sensor smoke detector that uses both of these technologies.

Alarm Maintenance
Because it is essential to have a working smoke alarm in the event of an emergency, you should always keep your alarm well-maintained. This includes keeping it free of dust and debris that can affect the accuracy of the detector. You should also test the batteries at least once each month. With a traditional battery-powered alarm, you will need to change the batteries once or twice a year. A lithium battery is designed to last throughout the life of the device and will not need to be replaced.

While an alarm can help you limit the amount of fire damage that occurs in your home, you may still need to have repairs done after a fire has happened. If this is the case, you can hire a fire remediation company to return your home to normal. They can clean and remove soot and smoke damage, repair and rebuild any affected areas and restore many of your damaged belongings.