Hello everyone it’s Derek, back again to discuss a crucial safety topic that everyone should be aware of. Here at AllElectricWorks we are constantly asked, “What’s the most important safety precaution I can add in my home to protect me and my family”? The first thing we’ll always tell you is to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with a hardwired/interconnected battery back up . Every year tens of thousands of people are alerted in time to get safely out of their homes by these detectors.
All city and towns in the United States have fire prevention programs which are usually implemented by the building code enforcement department. Also your local fire departments can inform you on what type of detector and the locations of each to be installed in your home.
There are two types of smoke detectors that are generally installed in residential applications.
One being battery-powered-only smoke detectors. Battery-powered-only smoke detectors are easy to install but need to have the batteries replaced at least once a year. These detectors are designed to give a low battery warning beep to let the home owner know that it is time to replace the battery. Often homeowners will take the battery out of their detector because it’s beeping due to low battery and forget to install a new one. Tragically, every year there are many news reports of deadly fires in homes that had battery smoke detectors with their batteries removed.
The other type of detector is the hardwired/interconnected with battery back up. These smoke/carbon monoxide detectors have a constant hardwired power source with a battery back up that allows the detector to continually function even if the home suffers a power loss. This type of detector also will beep when the battery gets low and the battery will need to be replaced at least once a year. However, unlike when you remove the battery from the battery only style detector you will not be disabling the power source of the hardwired type detector. These detectors are also interconnectable which allows you to connect two or more detectors together. Having interconnectable detectors is essential because if one detector is triggered by either smoke or carbon monoxide all other detectors that are interconnected with it are also triggered which gives a warning to all levels of the house. Hardwired detectors are supplied with constant voltage and should be tied in to one of the main lighting circuits in the home. That way if someone shuts off the circuit breaker to silence The alarm of an active detector they would also be shutting off lights in the home, which would prompt someone to turn the lights back on, thus reenergizing the detectors.
Most cities and towns in the United States are now requiring the hardwired/interconnected with battery back up style detector to be installed in their jurisdiction due to its more reliable power source.