A house fire isn’t to be taken lightly, even if it seems minor. The fire emergency workers get thousands of calls regarding domestic fires, and more than fifty people die due to house fires, mainly as they inhale dangerous fumes and the toxic smoke produced in flames. Many lose their homes to the fire causing immense economic, emotional and physical turmoil. The usual victims are the elderly, the young, the disabled, and those living alone. The good news is that most house fires are accidental. So, if they are detected soon and managed efficiently, they are preventable. The Department of Fire & Emergency Services, Australia, recommends several measures to be taken by every home resident to ensure fire safety. One of them is installing smoke alarms.
Considering this, it is pertinent that every house has smoke detectors installed, and the residents are aware of the technology available in the market. Whether one does or doesn’t have them installed around the house, here are a few things that everyone must know about these devices that might potentially save the lives of family members, friends, or oneself.
How Do Smoke Alarms Work and How to Pick the Right One?
In the olden days, heat detectors worked as fire-detection devices. A version of them is still in use. They worked essentially on the procedure that a drastic increase in temperature or a fixed temperature would cause it to detect a fire within the house. Apart from these, three other types of smoke detectors provide better safety to people’s homes.
1) Ionization Smoke Detectors
Ionization based smoke detectors produce an ionization chamber using a small amount of radioactive substance by passing them through electrically charged metal strips. It creates an electric current that moves between the plates as the structure ionizes the air surrounding it. Even if a small amount of smoke enters the space, it absorbs the particles in the air, causing a disturbance in the ionization process and the current flow. The reduced current then triggers the alarm. These are highly suitable for raging, fast fires and flames, as they respond well in such scenarios.
2) Photoelectric Smoke Alarms
Photoelectric alarms work on the principle of photosensitivity. They use an LED or light-emitting diode as a light source and a photoelectric sensor to detect the presence of a fire. A ray of light constantly passes through the chambers of the alarm. When there is a smouldering fire, the fumes enter the chambers and cross paths with the light beam, and it deflects the light due to the smoke particles resulting in it falling on the sensor. As soon as the photo sensor detects the light, it activates the alarm. Hence, these detectors are well suited for fires that take a significant period to smoulder.
3) A Combination of the Two
Officials recommend having a combination of these smoke detectors to ensure an increased chance of detecting various types of fire during emergencies. It is impossible to predict whether the fire developed in a house is flaming or smouldering. It is recommended to have both forms of technology in the house and a screen to protect the home even when one’s away.
Different fire detection technologies have different but essential implications when it comes to domestic fire safety. To ensure maximum security, every person must install these alarms in their bedroom, kitchen, living room, any area with electrical circuits, and each level of their homes.
AUTHOR:- Alexpeter
