What to look for when shopping for smoke and fire alarms

You’ve taken the first step in ensuring your home’s safety by looking around for a new smoke alarm.

But what are the things you should keep an eye out for when choosing the right smoke alarm for your home?

Home tech is no exception when it comes to the general progress that we’ve been seeing as of late. So there are a couple of features of a smoke alarm that you should pay attention to.

Below, we’ve written up a questionnaire to guide you through your shopping process. Let’s get started.

1. How do you want it to function?

Some models of smoke alarms often have multiple functionality. This is definitely something to look for when selecting one for your home because you want the most bang for your buck.

Models that can operate as carbon monoxide detection unit, as well as a night light, can be a bit more expensive, but with good reason.

It’s important to know exactly what you’re paying for, so you won’t feel bad about shelling out the extra cash and you’ll avoid getting ripped off.

2. What’s the sensor type?

First off, you have to check with your state’s regulations. Some states require that you get a smoke alarm with a dual sensor.

Either way, this is something that you should look for. Photoelectric sensors are good at detecting smoldering fires, while ionization sensors are good at detecting flaming fires.

Why not get both to get the most protection? So check to see if the smoke alarm that you’re eyeing has a dual sensor.

3. How is it powered?

If you’re thinking about getting a smoke alarm that is hardwired, then you can expect that it can have a battery life for up to 10 years.

This is because the alarm will only tap into the battery in the event that the power goes out.

However, there are some smoke alarms that will require you to change the batteries every 6 to 12 months - so two times a year.

It’s important to check what you will have to do to keep the smoke alarm functioning properly. Like they always say, it’s better safe than sorry.

4. Do you need features that go along with your smoke alarm?

For the added convenience, maybe you would want something that will send alerts to your phone if ever the alarm goes off. Additionally, with these apps, you could monitor the alarm’s battery levels and can be monitored by your local fire department too.

You’ll want to look for something with these features if you want this kind of accessibility.