Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms save. They save lives. They save property. They save you from worry.

When you’re away or indisposed, they serve as you, keeping an eye over the fire safety conditions at home. These devices are actually better at detecting fire hazards than you, considering they are calibrated for such activity. If you don’t have one installed at home, or in your place of business, you may want to get one.

Excuses and putting things off kill. A fire will not necessarily wake a light sleeper. Waiting for your dog to wake you up in emergency situations isn’t exactly the best course of action. Installing a fire alarm isn’t exactly just your landlord’s responsibility. The bottom line is, don’t just wait for a fire to break out. Take action before it’s too late.

There are various types of Smoke Alarms out in the market, each type “tailor made” to suit whatever conditions you are in.

By definition, a smoke alarm or smoke detector is a sensor capable of detecting the presence of smoke. It gets out an alert once the detected smoke poses to be a “fire hazard.” Normally, it comes disk shaped (though this shape differs from one manufacturer to another), and is usually screwed on the ceiling or it could be hanged on a wall . Since smoke rises, these areas are ideal places for smoke detectors to be in.

Smoke detectors successfully operate by ionization or by optical detection. Some work using the two detection methods for added smoke discovery sensitivity.

Optical Detection

Basically a light sensor is what makes an optical smoke detector what it is. These type of smoke detectors are known to be quick in detecting slow burning, smoky fires.

For the device to function, a light source is needed and usually comes as an infrared LED integrated into the device. A lens is also part of the device structure, and is used to collimate the energy, the infrared LED, into a laser like beam which stands as the light sensor/detector setup. Once smoke invades the optical field setup, getting into the way of the laser like beam, the light scatters due to the particle fumes and this would trigger the device’s alarm system.

Ionization Detection

Smoke detectors of this type can observe smoke fumes which are too minute for the naked eyes to see.. A tiny mass of radioactive americium-241, the source of alpha radiation, is what it “looks for.” The said mass of radioactive americium-241 passes through an ionization chamber and permits a small consistent current to flow between the chamber which is basically an air-filled between two electrodes. Once smoke goes in the chamber, it takes in the alpha radiation, thus interrupting the established flow.

When this happens, the alarm system of the detector is initiated.

Of course, smoke detector features vary from one brand to another. For the hearing impaired, flashing light features are added to the device’s alarm system. Some types are interconnected to each other, giving an integrated fire alarm system, suitable for big houses with multiple smoke alarms installed.

Basic smoke detectors can’t detect the presence of carbon monoxide which could cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Some types are integrated with such technology, and they pose added detection capabilities.

Another type of smoke detector is geared towards detecting cigarette smokers, and for more complex smoke detectors, it is integrated into its detection system.

Labeled as UV Flame detectors (ultraviolet), smoke detectors of this type work by detecting UV light. It is sensitized right away the presence of a flame (like flames from cigarette lighters and matches), and is usually used to stop smokers form smoking in non designated areas.

The bottom line is, with all the available smoke detection technology readily available, one wouldn’t have to fear fires. Lives and property could be saved. The authorities could be informed.

What more could one want?