Smoke and CO Detectors
Smoke and CO detectors and alarms, it’s easy, every home needs them. They are your first line of defense in the case of a fire or dangerous carbon-monoxide gas. Properly operating smoke and CO detectors alert your family to an emergency and can give you time to leave.
Did you know that smoke and CO detectors need to be replaced every 10 years or sooner?
Types of Smoke Detectors
Ionizing smoke detectors are most effective at sensing fast flaming fires they create ionized air inside the sensing chamber and when smoked particles enter this chamber they can disrupt the ionization process which will then trigger the alarm.
Photoelectric smoke detectors use a light-sensitive sensor and a light source so that when smoke enters the chamber, gets scatters the light beam, which then causes the light to hit the sensor and start the alarm. These are effective on slow burning fires, which may not immediately produce flame but generate a lot of smoke.
What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colourless gas that can be deadly if gets collected in a closed space. Carbon monoxide can be more dangerous than a fire because it is odourless and undetectable without having carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is produced by fuel burning furnaces and appliances such as fireplaces and stoves.
A carbon monoxide detector measures the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air with its built in sensor. If the sensor detects a carbon monoxide level gets to a dangerous threshold, the alarm sounds and alerts your family to the presence of this dangerous gas.
Smoke and CO detectors can be battery operated, hardwired or both. In Alberta, the building code requires that new homes or homes that are renovated be equipped with hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. A smoke detector is required in every bedroom and a combination smoke/CO detector is required on every level. If you have a home with a secondary suite, the building cold requirements are even more stringent.
If your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are 10 years old or older, it’s time to replace them. If your home has no smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, what is protecting your family from fire and CO gas?
Contact Halo Power today, we are just a call away, and we will be there to guide you and help you!