Smoke Detectors - What You Should Know
Because fire can grow and spread so quickly, having working smoke alarms in
your Iowa home can mean the difference between life and death. But these
life-saving devices are only effective when they're working properly. Smoke
alarms with batteries that are dead, disconnected, or missing can't alert you to
the dangers of smoke and fire.
The right way to install smoke alarms
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the
basement, making sure that there is an alarm outside every separate sleeping
area. New Iowa homes are required to have a smoke alarm in every sleeping room and
all smoke alarms must be interconnected.
Hard-wired smoke alarms operate on your household electrical current.
They can be interconnected so that every alarm sounds regardless of the fire's
location. This is an advantage in early warning, because it gives occupants
extra time to escape if they are in one part of the home and a fire breaks out
in another part. Alarms that are hard-wired should have battery backups in case
of a power outage, and should be installed by a qualified
Iowa electrician.
- If you sleep with bedroom doors closed, have a qualified electrician
install interconnected smoke alarms in each room so that when one alarm
sounds, they all sound.
- If you, or someone in your home is deaf or hard of hearing, consider
installing an alarm that combines flashing lights, vibration and/or sound.
- Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises).
Ceiling mounted alarms should be installed at least four inches away from the
nearest wall; wall-mounted alarms should be installed four to 12 inches away
from the ceiling.
- If you have ceilings that are pitched, install the alarm near the
ceiling's highest point.
- Don't install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts
might interfere with their operation.
- Never paint smoke alarms. Paint, stickers, or other decorations could keep
the alarms from working.
"Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week Web site,
www.firepreventionweek.org.
©2004 NFPA."
If you are looking to have smoke detectors installed by a professional Iowa electrician please call us today at 515-382-5200 or complete our online service request form.
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