Why you should be fire safe and protect your family home?

Far to many fatal fires start either in the kitchen or family rooms in many homes. With lots of staff working from home we need to do everything to stop the risk of house fires. The best type of fire alarm is a working one connected to your mains supply that will prevent fire damage and injury in your home.

It is important to install smoke alarms correctly in the best possible places, to be installed properly complying to correct regulations in your state, to have them maintained properly, to ensure they are tested regularly and working properly is imperative in every respect.

The most very common types in smoke alarms are ionisation that is best in detecting quick starting fires and photoelectric types which are best at alerting smouldering smoke conditions which means burning slowly with smoke but no flame. If there is a fire in your property, a working smoke alarm will alert you in any situation so you can escape safely. If you don’t have a working smoke alarm, there is a chance you a more likely to get hurt or much worse.

While kitchen areas are the most common places for risks in a building fire the most crucial time to have a working smoke alarm is at night when your family is asleep. To often candles start fires in the home especially if you have a power outage in your area at night and have to utilize them in a hurry. You need to use candles very carefully with caution. So do a practice run on how to do this responsibly for your family. One key element is to have the proper candle base with the right candle size so they don`t fall over. Also make sure there is no wind or fans blowing on the candles. Do you have a safety plan? Try a live test yourself and have fun doing this to prepare in case of a real emergency condition. Only a small number of Australian premises have smoke alarms in their bedrooms. Alarm maintenance recommends installing hard-wired mains smoke alarms in the most vital locations to the house including bedrooms, hallways, close to kitchens, family rooms and other living areas.

Ideally, fire alarm control panels should be 240 AC mains power operated, hard-wired with battery back-up. Installing new wireless models should only be used to alarm systems (in conjunction with 240AC mains power smoke alarms). A stand alone battery type smoke alarm should only be fitted that is required by law. Only working smoke alarms saves lives.

Smoke alarms are mandatory in every home

From 1 August 1997, Victorian law says it is compulsory that smoke alarms (complying with Australian Standards AS3786) must be installed to all homes, units, apartments, flats and townhouses. It is the responsibility of all owners and landlords to have installed working smoke alarms.

Homes constructed before 1 August 1997 need only wireless standalone, battery powered smoke alarms. Homes constructed after 1 August 1997 must install smoke alarms connected to 240 volt mains supply. These smoke alarms must now also have a battery back-up installed to the smoke alarm in case of a loss to main power especially when there is a fire causing an outage.

Alarm Maintenance for tenants and landlords

It is the responsibility of the landlord owners to have working smoke alarm installed to domestic rental property. In Victoria the law requirements are to have every smoke alarm replaced within 10 years time because they can become very unreliable especially due to dirt accumulating inside the chamber of the alarm and of course due to old age. A good idea is to clean the smoke alarm now and then and also to vacuum inside the chamber of the device. Periodic maintenance is the best solution for good reliability to working alarms.
The most important service practice is to make sure that you replace the fire alarm batteries in time so as to avoid any trouble in case of a life threatening situation.

How to test your smoke alarm detector

In many cases it is safe and easy to do this replacement yourself. Please be careful if you need to get up on a ladder or on a rising platform. Requiring just to press with your index finger (or some users use a broom stick handle upside down if located higher up) press and hold the test button located on the front housing. The alarm should start sounding after a couple of seconds. It is best to test this device quarterly (every three months or earlier). Make sure the smoke alarm chirps as it should. Alarm will silence itself before 15 seconds. Replace the battery if this does not work (there is no sound coming from the device).

Best to change the alarm battery periodically in time according to the battery type. This maybe a lithium battery (replacement every 6 up to 10 years lifespan) Or a square 9 alkaline volt battery (change every year as recommended by authorities). If your smoke alarm emits a single chirp every 30 second this is bringing to your attention that the battery now needs to be changed immediately. Then replace the alarm battery for a new one.
Now you can feel safe and sound everyday with a good nights sleep. And just remember only working smoke alarms save lives

For more information on how to protect your family and property go to the country region CFA Victorian government website or the Melbourne area MFB Website which is now called fire rescue Victoria which have lots of good information regarding safety to you.

WE DO SMOKE ALARM SERVICE TO MANY MAKES & MODELS