Fire Safety 101

Smoke detectors are the single most important step you can take to protect yourself and your family from fatal house fires. Hard to believe such a little, and sometimes annoying, addition to your home can make such a difference, but studies show that in the event of a potentially fatal fire breaking out in your home, having a smoke alarm increases your chances of survival by more than 50%. Those stats are hard to argue with, making the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms a must for any responsible homeowner.

Where and How Many
As a rule, make sure you have at least one smoke detector installed on each floor of your home, including the basement area. Beyond that, consider installing an alarm in any room where people sleep, since most fatal fires start in the wee morning hours. Since every minute counts when it comes to fire safety, you don't want to take unnecessary chances, such as someone sleeping through the alarm because it's positioned too far down the hallway.

Besides making sure all levels of your home and the bedrooms are covered, it's also important that you install your detectors either on the ceiling itself or 6 to 8 inches from the ceiling if you install them on a side wall. Since smoke rises, having your smoke alarms installed at the proper level will give you and your loved ones the earliest warning possible and the best chance to escape unharmed if the unthinkable happens.

As Cost Effective As It Gets
Just thirty years ago, outfitting a three bedroom home with smoke detectors could run upwards of $1,000. Today, thanks to the availability of cheap, reliable models at most hardware stores, that same house can be protected at the rate of $10-$20 per alarm, or $50-$100 for the entire house.

The type of detector you buy is up to you. Battery operated models are a little bit cheaper and easier for the average homeowner to install themselves. On the downside, smoke alarms filled with dead batteries don't save lives, and there's always the temptation to remove the batteries when you burn the toast and the alarm goes off—a common and potentially fatal homeowner habit.

To prevent these possibilities, consider buying a model that hardwires into your home's electrical system. It only costs a few dollars more than battery powered models, and you can rest well knowing your smoke alarm will always have the power it needs to alert you of danger. If you do choose this route, be sure to buy a unit with a battery back-up in case of power outage, and call an experienced electrician to install your new unit. Electrical work can be very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing and when it comes to smoke alarms, nothing short of perfect is acceptable when it comes to getting the wiring right.

Maintenance
As far as maintenance goes, the two most important steps you can take are to regularly check and replace the batteries, and to be sure to vacuum around and over the unit on a regular basis as gathering dust can hinder proper operation. Finally, all smoke detectors, regardless of type, should be replaced every 8 to 10 years to ensure optimal operation. It's a small price to pay to protect the lives of the people you care about the most.