According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), October 8-14 is National Fire Prevention Month. Here at Ryan Electrical Solutions, we would like to help bring awareness to the leading causes of accidental fires, and the hazards that can cause potential devastation.
Leading Causes of Fires:
Source: https://www.nfpa.org
- Roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms.
- Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries
- For decades, smoking has been the leading cause of home-fire deaths
- Heating equipment was involved in one in every five home-fire deaths
Be safe! Don’t know if your alarms are working? Now is the time to check and double check your detectors. Unfortunately, the holiday season is another time in which we see a spike in accidental fires, and they’re right around the corner! Holiday decorating will soon commence, and we encourage you to be prepared. Make sure your smoke/CO2 detectors are properly working.
Smoke Alarm Tips:
- We recommend interconnecting all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound. Interconnected smoke alarms increase safety, especially when individuals are sleeping.
- Test the alarms at least once a month to make sure they are functioning properly. When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are dead or missing.
- Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom and basement.
- CO2/smokes should be installed outside of and within 15’ of bedroom doors.
- People who are hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special types of alarms that have strobe lights and/or bed shakers
- Most smoke alarms need replaced within 10 years
There are several different options to consider when purchasing smoke detectors: Ionization, photoelectric and dual-sensor alarms (which use both ionization and photoelectric technology). You should consider battery operated, 110volt, or a combination of 110v with battery backup. What brand are you interested in installing? Nest Protect, Kidde KN-COSM-BA/IBA, First Alert BRK 3120B are just several options available today. Newer units can be replaced with 10-year lithium batteries with a life-expectancy of 10 years (on battery). These are all important questions to consider when dealing with your home’s smoke alarm system.
Don’t take a chance with unsafe, malfunctioning or outdated detectors. Get your devices checked and/or replaced today! The professionals here at Ryan Electrical Solutions have the knowledge and experience needed to determine what specific systems will best fit in your home and/or office space. We give free estimates and would love to help with your installation. Not only can we help with your smoke alarm/CO2 detectors, but we offer full electrical, generator and audio-visual services. With 23+ years in business, we pride ourselves on having an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We make sure that our customers are satisfied with our services and hope to build life-long relationships. Call us today to speak with a representative and to get a free estimate!