Berkeys / Berkeys Blog

August 15, 2016

All The Important Things That Dallas Homeowners Need To Know About Fire Safety In Your Home

It’s that time of the year when the temperatures start to drop and you find yourself turning on your stove and cranking up the heat. With all the fireplaces, heaters and stoves on full blast, it’s especially important to be up-to-date on how to safely keep your home protected when it comes to fires.

The amount of smoke alarms you should have depends on the size of your house.

Smoke Alarm Maintenance Tips for Home Fire Safety

Every year people die because their smoke detectors didn’t go off during a fire. That’s usually because the batteries were dead (or had been removed to stop false alarms) or the detector was past its useful life or was located where occupants couldn’t hear the alarm. This article will tell you how to check your detectors and replace them if necessary. We’ll also help you understand the latest technology—which has improved dramatically in recent years—so you can choose detectors that best protect your home and family.

Smoke detectors are one of the most important safety devices you can install in your home to protect your personal belongings and your family. The good news is, they are inexpensive, too. Once you’ve installed smoke detectors, it is absolutely necessary to test them regularly to ensure that they will sound during a fire. After all, what good are they if they are not working when you need them to the most!

Smoke Alarms is all about fire safety and protection. Our aim is to minimise the large amount of devastation caused by household fires. We want to make sure each individual has a fighting chance to escape from a fire in its early stages. We would like to give all homeowners, tenants, and caretakers the key to ensure the safety of all property occupants.

The following key smoke alarm maintenance routine:

• Regular testing (not less than once per month) to ensure the battery and the alarm sounder are operating. This will also familiarize building occupants with the sound that is emitted when the unit detects smoke. Refer to manufacturer’s guide for testing procedure.
  
• Replacing batteries annually, where appropriate. Refer to manufacturer’s guide for battery type. As there are multiple styles and brands of smoke alarm on the market, DFES recommends you contact the supplier or manufacturer for detailed instructions on how to change your smoke alarm batteries.
• Cleaning with a vacuum cleaner (at least once a year) to remove particles that will affect smoke alarm performance.

When maintaining your smoke alarm it also important to note the following:

• Generally, smoke alarms will sound a regular warning ‘beep’ if the battery needs replacing. Refer to manufacturer’s guide for exact warning details.
  
• Smoke alarms should never be painted.
• The date the smoke alarm was manufactured will be displayed. Smoke alarms have a maximum service life of ten (10) years and need to be replaced.
• Contact the manufacturer or supplier with any queries regarding your smoke alarm.

The Importance of Smoke Alarms 

Smoke alarms are a life-saving device that are too often neglected. Many homes have one fitted but forget to test it periodically and replace the batteries yearly. Some houses don’t have any alarms installed, or do have them, but have removed the batteries. It needs to be emphasised how important it is that houses have at least one smoke alarm on each floor, and that they are kept in sound working order.