Smoke Detectors – Are Yours Ready for a Fire?

Smoke detectors are a common staple everywhere. Although they are on the ceiling and in plain sight, they go unnoticed and often are forgotten about. If the smoke detector is not hardwired, meaning it requires a 9-volt battery to operate, then it could fail when you need it most.

Here are some smoke detector statistics to keep in mind:

• Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms.
• More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
• The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.
• The presence of a working smoke alarm in a home reduces the risk of dying in a fire by 50%. Approximately 890 lives could be saved annually if all homes had working smoke alarms.
• Half of home fire deaths happen between 11pm and 7am, when most people are asleep.

Since residential smoke alarms were introduced to consumers in the 1970’s, the fire death rate has dropped by over 500%. The cost savings alone is a reason to invest in a detector. The average cost of a smoke detector is $10 whereas the cost of not having a smoke detector could be your property or, worst of all, your life.

An NFPA report cites a study undertaken by Canada’s Ontario Housing Corporation supporting the fact that 3% of smoke alarms will fail within one year. They also say that after 30 years, nearly all the alarms will have failed. With the new year upon us, it is time to inspect, and test our home smoke detectors. Refresh the batteries and make sure the detector is in good working order. Reach out to your contractor to ensure your property’s detection systems are in working order.

For more information on how to keep your property safe, contact one of our contractors today.