Smoke alarms are inconspicuously nestled in all Australian properties, and on most days, will not make a sound (which is a good thing). However, they are extremely important devices to warn you of potential fires. One of the most frightening things to happen as a homeowner, or even someone renting a property, is a fire breaking out. Luckily, a lot of measures can be taken to avoid the possibility of a fire, but they can still happen. However, you can get ahead of the curve if you get an early warning, and properly functioning smoke detectors are a necessity for this reason.
Of course, to get the most from your smoke alarm, you need to know how they work, where they should be installed, and how to look after them, including spotting if they need replacing.
Why Are Smoke Detectors Important?
A fire breaking can prove to be lethal to anyone on the property, and smoke detectors help initiate quick action, which can often save lives. It can take as little as 3 minutes for a fire to take hold, and merely two quick breaths of thick, black smoke to render someone unconscious. Whether you need to escape an out-of-control fire, or prevent one from spreading, a well-maintained smoke alarm will give you a vital head start.
Smoke detectors are at work round the clock, whether you are sleeping, away on a vacation, or simply out of the house for chores or work. When chosen and installed, your fire alarm system should be able to cover the whole property, and detect any smoke, which could potentially come from the very beginnings of a fire. When in perfect working condition, a smoke alarm can minimise the risk of injury, and even death, and help prevent greater damage to possessions you may have.
What Triggers a Smoke Detector?
Unlike other electrical appliances, a smoke alarm goes off when the strength of the electric current goes down in the sensor. In technical, yet simple terms, a smoke detector is supposed to go off when smoke enters the ionisation chamber of the detector, which messes with its chemistry and triggers the alarm in the process. However, because of external factors or malfunctions, you may sometimes get false alarms, even when there is no smoke or risk of fire.
One of the most common reasons for false alarms is a dying battery, which makes the electrical current inside weak, increasing the chances for a false alarm. It is advisable to replace your batteries every 6–12 months for this reason. Your smoke detector could also be triggered from smoke from cooking, steam from a nearby bathroom, dust build-up, or, in some more obscure cases, volatile chemicals and even small insects can hamper the sensor from working optimally. All of this can be prevented, or at least mitigated, through periodic checks and maintenance.
Where Should Smoke Detectors Be Placed in Australia?
Smoke detectors are compulsory in every residential building and property and must be installed on or near the ceiling of every storey. For them to be most effective at alerting people, smoke alarms need to be positioned in a way to wake any sleeping occupants. As such, ideal locations are between bedrooms and the rest of the house. So, if you live in an apartment with two bedrooms, you should ideally have two smoke detectors — one outside each bedroom. The larger your property, the more devices you should have, for example, in your garage, stairway, and any extra rooms you may have like a study or storeroom.
You should avoid installing a smoke detector too close to a bathroom or kitchen, to avoid false alarms from potential steam or smoke as explained earlier. It is also important to ensure that all smoke detectors in your fire alarm system are interconnected, whether through hard wires, or wirelessly. This ensures that all alarms make a sound even if only one is triggered, alerting everyone on the property, no matter where they are
Get the Most Out of Your Smoke Alarm
The best way to get the most out of your smoke alarm is to ensure it is in perfect working order. Conducting periodic tests to check for potential issues or malfunctions is necessary for this reason. Here are some things you should do to maintain a healthy smoke detector:
