We’re going to assume that if you own a home, you already know how important it is that this home is equipped with a fire alarm in every room. What many homeowners don’t realize, however, is that it would benefit them to have their fire alarms hardwired into their electrical system.
Now, not every fire alarm is the same–which we’ll dive more into below. Some older homes and commercial kitchen have heat detectors in them, that are designed to detect high-heat fires in small, confined spaces. These are not as effective as the smoke detectors found in modern homes, and therefore if your household still has these in place, it’s time to consider an upgrade. Read on to learn more, as well as why your fire alarms/smoke detectors should be hardwired.
Your Fire Alarm/Smoke Detector Options
First, let’s dive into what types of fire alarms/smoke detectors are on the market today. This will help you determine what is best for your specific home and needs.
- Ionization Fire Alarm: This type of smoke detector contains a trace amount of radioactive material, and as the radiation passes through the ionization chamber, a constant current is kept between the electrodes. When smoke enters that chamber, the current is interrupted and the alarm goes off. This type of smoke detector is best for fast, raging fires.
- Photoelectric Fire Alarm: Photoelectric devices function by using a light source and a photoelectric sensor. When smoke enters through the optical chamber and crosses the path of the light beam, the light gets scattered by the smoke particles. This activates the sensor, and therefore the alarm. This smoke detector works best for slow, smoldering fires.
- Combination Fire Alarm: This is likely the best type of smoke detector to get in your home, as it combines the ionization and photoelectric fire alarms into one. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that you have both.
The Benefit of Hardwiring
No matter what kind of fire alarm or smoke detector you decide to have installed in your home, hardwiring it to your electrical system is a smart choice. This is because then you don’t need to rely on batteries that can run out. Of course, that said, hardwired fire alarms are equipped with a long-lasting battery backup in case of a power outage.
Top quality, hardwired fire alarms are becoming more and more popular due to their accuracy, especially since most are automatically designed to pick up on both heat and smoke before being triggered. And last but not least, hardwired systems mean that every fire alarm/smoke detector in your home is connected, so if one goes off in an unoccupied room, the rest will go off as well in order to warn the whole household.
At the end of the day, we know you want to take whatever steps necessary to protect your home an dyour family. Hardwiring your fire alarms is an excellent precautionary steps to take.
Contact HB Energy Solutions for all your energy needs and when you need a trusted electrician in Weston, VT. HB Energy Solutions delivers peace of mind.
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