Hi
all, Use My Guy here with some handy tips for homeowners about smoke detectors
and CO (Carbon Monoxide) detectors. Having both types of
detectors is crucial for all homes but especially for homes with gas or fuel burning appliances
such as a water heater or a furnace. But
even those with all electric homes should consider having CO alarms installed
as CO can seep into a house through the garage if a car is left on and
forgotten about.
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| Combination Sensor |
CO
poisoning is nothing to scoff at. In
February in Michigan an entire family of six was killed by running a backup
generator after their power had been knocked out by a severe storm. The worst part about it was that they had no
idea what was happening, they were not asleep they were all doing normal
everyday things. The mother was found
next to the crib where the infant was found and the other three children were
found in various states of activity.
This is a somber reminder of how important it is to have the proper
early warning equipment and to ensure that it is in good working order.
According
to most manufacturers it is important to test your batteries at least every six
months. You can expect your batteries to
last much longer these days (up to ten years with Lithium Ion batteries) but
depending on the year and make of your detectors they may not last as long. Checking the batteries is as simple as
getting on a ladder and pressing a button.
Simple and quick, the few minutes you take to check them could save your
life or that of your loved ones!
Basic
yet generally unknown information on smoke detectors.
Did
you know there are two different types of smoke detectors? Both types only detect one type of fire. The first is a photoelectric alarm. These types of alarms are best at detecting
slow burning smoldering fires and are not prone to being set off by food fires
or steam. These are best installed
around the kitchen and bathroom. The
second type of alarm is an ionization alarm which is best for detecting fast,
flaming fires that don’t put out as much smoke.
Unfortunately these types of alarms are more likely to give off false
alerts making them poor choices for kitchens and bathrooms as even steam can
set these types of alarms off. The most
effective strategy for smoke alarms is to have both types of alarms throughout
your house that way you know that whatever type of fire is started you will
have an alarm that can detect it. It is
possible to find alarms that have both types of sensor but these are more prone
to false alerts and they will not alert you if only one type of sensor fails. Therefore it is impossible to know if both
sensors are working properly because they will only alert you if both fail.
Now
let us talk about wired, wireless and synchronized alarms. If you are looking for quick and easy
protection there are smoke alarms that only need batteries, but if you are
looking for a long term investment that can save you money on your insurance
and raise the value of your home than a wired system is a much better bet. Although some wireless systems do come with a
synchronization option these models do not have a backup if the batteries
die. On the flip side if you are the one
person who checks their batteries on a regular basis than these models are
super easy to replace and move around the house. Wired systems are all automatically
synchronized, this means that if one alarm is set off they will all go
off. This is an extremely important
feature for large or multi-level homes because if one goes off in the kitchen
downstairs then the alarms by the bedrooms or in the basement will go off as
well ensuring that no matter where you are you will be informed of the
situation. The down side? These types of alarms do require a
rudimentary knowledge of electrical systems and if there is a system failure
(which is much rarer than battery operated systems) there is a possibility of
having to shut down the power to the house while you or your local handyman try
to figure out what is wrong.
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| Digital CO Sensor |
When it comes to replacing smoke detectors it
is a safe bet that if one stops working the others will soon follow. The reason for this is that smoke detectors
have an average life span of about ten years and about that time they WILL
stop functioning correctly. What happens
is that over the years dust will collect on the sensor or the sensor will
naturally decay. When this occurs you
will begin to hear the familiar and irritating beep that means it is time to
change out your batteries and if the beeping persists after you change the battery then it is time to replace your detectors. Now what often
happens is that one detector will break and most homeowners will spend enough
money to replace the broken one. Then a
month later another one will break and the process repeats itself again and
again because who wants to spend more money than they absolutely have to right? The best solution is to have all of the
detectors replaced when one breaks because the others will not be far
behind. This will save you a substantial
sum of money because you will only have to pay your local handyman to come out
to your house once. In addition to only
paying for one service call, buying a bulk amount of detectors will often lead
to even more savings.
CO sensor important facts for proper installation.
·
Do Not's
·
Do not place a CO
sensor near appliances or in hot, humid, or very cold areas.
·
Do not place
sensors within 20 feet of any fuel burning source such as a fireplace or a wood
stove.
·
Do not place
sensors in direct sunlight or in areas with turbulent air such as near a fan or
vent.
· Do This
·
Do place sensor
at eye level.
·
Do get a sensor
that can synchronize with your other alarms
·
Do get a sensor
with a digital display
·
Do place sensors
at least 20 feet away from your garage door
·
Do place sensors
where they will be visible
·
Do check sensor
batteries yearly
If
you follow these simple steps you will ensure that your home will be well
protected from the silent and deadly threat of CO poisoning. Take time to-day to check your sensors and if
you don’t have one then get one as soon as possible, it could save your life.
If
you need sensors replaced then call your local handyman, Use My Guy Services and
don’t forget to have all of your sensors replaced as it is not worth the risk
of having to pay for multiple service calls.
Use My Guy Services is a local, family owned and operated handyman
service with dozens of 5 star reviews on yelp.
We are also proud bearers of an A+ rating with the Better Business
Bureau and have received the Angies List Super Service Award for 2015 after
only being with them for one year. Call us today at (602)316-9187 to schedule
an appointment with one of our qualified and friendly technicians. Also check us out at usemyguyservices.com and
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