Smoke Detector Repair and Smoke Detector Replacement
Just over thirty years ago, governments began taking an interest in fire safety. In many jurisdictions, laws were enacted to make smoke detectors mandatory in inhabited buildings. These laws lead to a wave of smoke detector installations over three decades ago. Many smoke detectors haven’t been replaced since then and require smoke detector replacement. This is a problem because smoke detectors become less effective ten years after their installation. Having faulty smoke detectors is an accident waiting to happen. Here is some information on their expiry.
Aging smoke alarms have a 30% failure rate within the first decade. This means your family’s safety has a one in three chance of being compromised in the case of a fire. To the majority of homeowners, this is an unacceptable statistic. Be sure to test your smoke detector to see if it is operational and find out whether your home requires smoke detector replacement.
Test your smoke detector in 5 easy steps:
Step 1: Alert the members of the household that you will be conducting a fire drill of sorts (we don’t want anyone getting trampled in a desperate bid for freedom).
Step 2: Enlist someone to stand in an area of the house that is far from the smoke detector. This will ensure that smoke detector can be heard from all parts of the house. It is important to keep in mind that the alarm has to be loud enough to wake up the deepest sleepers in your family.
Step 3: Every smoke detector should have a “test button”. Press your test button and see if a satisfactory alarm resounds through your household.
Step 4: To test whether you requite smoke detector replacement, you will need to set the device off. The best way to test a smoke detector is to purchase some smoke detector test spray. This product comes in an aerosol can, and can be purchased from your local hardware store.
Step 5: To stop the alarm from beeping, hold up a handheld vacuum and suck out the spray out from the smoke detector.
10 Year Replacement
There is a 3% failure rate each year for smoke detectors. This means that during their installation year, some smoke detectors stop working almost immediately and require smoke detector replacement. At the 10 year mark, 30% cease being operational. At the 30 year mark, it is a statistical anomaly to have a working smoke detector.
10 years after installation, it becomes a smart investment to begin replacing the smoke detectors in your home. At the very least, follow the above steps to regularly test your smoke detectors.
ProAmp electric performs smoke detector replacement and smoke detector repair. We have years of experience in the field of electrical wiring. If you have broken smoke alarms in your home, you run the risk of property damage and the safety of loved ones. If you believe your families safety might be at risk, call ProAmp electric today for information regarding the safety of your home.