Smoke Detector

One of the most important types of safety equipment that your home should already have installed in it is smoke alarms. New homes may not have had smoke alarms installed in them before the new owners take possession of the home and older homes may have smoke alarms that don’t work—or don’t work very well.

Ideally a home should have a smoke detector in all of the main rooms that are shared in the house like living room and kitchen; for the areas in the home with bedrooms, it’s a good idea to have the detectors in the hall as well as in the rooms because most people sleep with the bedroom door closed. Many smoke alarms now come with a carbon monoxide detector built into it as well which is a great value-added feature.

The combination of smoke, fire and CO detectors provide the best all-around protection. Multiple smoke and fire alarms, plus CO detectors will always provide better protection than just one device. A CO detector with a memory feature is a good investment, even though it will cost more than basic models. Always seeking to incorporate new technology as it becomes available, some new detector models include a wireless monitoring feature that links the detector to a vibrating pillow pad. Other features include strobe lights and even a remote warning handset.