Having smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in your Edmonton home is not a luxury but a necessity. Smoke and CO detectors are essential devices that every household in Canada should install to ensure safety during smoke and fire. If your workplace or home does not have smoke detectors installed, you are putting yourself and others at risk. So, without further ado, let us dovetail into the details of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and why they are essential.

What is a Smoke Detector, and what is its importance?

In the event of a fire, a smoke detector will alert the occupants. Household smoke detectors, also known as smoke alarms, issue an audible or visual alarm from the detector to warn the residents about a possible fire. On the contrary, commercial smoke detectors issue a signal to a fire alarm control panel as a part of the fire alarm system. More often than not, smoke alarms are housed inside plastic enclosures that are about six inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.

Moreover, smoke detectors can detect smoke either visually or through a process known as ionization. Ionization smoke detectors measure the charged ion particles in the air and then analyze the consequent electrical imbalance. The more they smoke, the higher will be the pitch of the alarm’s squeal. It is noteworthy to mention that the risk of dying in residential fire has almost reduced by half after the ushering in of home smoke detectors. Now that we know the basics of smoke detectors let us understand their importance.

Importance of Smoke Detector

In the presence of fire hazards, the probability of people succumbing to smoke inhalation is exceptionally high. It is an unfortunate fact that in fire accidents, more people die due to smoke inhalation than burning. Therefore, the importance of smoke detectors is unrivaled in today’s day and age.

1. Early Fire Warning

By alerting people about the dangers of a possible fire, a smoke detector allows residents to take timely action and evacuate the premises.

2. Time to Escape

The early warning provided by a smoke detector provides people precious time to escape the premises before the fire spreads and becomes dangerous.

3. Helps Extinguish Fires

Some smoke detectors are equipped with a sprinkler system that is automatically activated when the detector senses smoke. As such, the fire is extinguished even before it gets a chance to spread. Hence, precious lives and property are saved in a timely fashion.

4. Essential for Unprecendeted Circumstances

When a person is sleeping or unconscious, manually detecting smoke or fire becomes impossible. It is in such a context that a smoke detector becomes extremely useful.

In addition to the mere installation of a smoke detector in your home in Edmonton, it is essential to at least get the detector tested and maintained twice a year. Again, an adept electrical service agency is the one-stop destination for installing, repairing, or replacing a smoke detector.

What is a Carbon Monoxide Detector?

To begin with, carbon monoxide, or CO, is a colorless and odorless gas that can cause severe health damage and even lead to death at high levels. Carbon monoxide is formed when fuel like gasoline, natural gas, wood, and heating fail to burn completely, and there is incomplete combustion. Carbon monoxide is hazardous in confined spaces and is also extremely hard to detect without a sensor; as such makes, it is hazardous. As such, a carbon monoxide detector becomes veritably important.

In simple words, a carbon monoxide or CO detector can be defined as a device that detects the presence of carbon monoxide to prevent CO poisoning. CO detectors work very much like a smoke alarm by sounding a siren when they detect carbon monoxide levels in the air. People can use CO detectors to detect dangerously high amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) in the air and be alerted to the situation before it becomes too late to do something about it. In the event of an emergency, some CO detectors also notify a monitoring agency, which can summon the proper authorities. Now that we know the basics of smoke detectors let us dovetail into its other details.

Things to consider while Installing a CO(Carbon Monoxide) detector

As the owner of commercial or residential space, your responsibility does not end with installing CO detectors within the building premises. Therefore, it is essential to consider some other factors as well.

Maintenance

It is essential to have a licensed technician or electrician maintain the CO Detector inside your building at least once a year. A certified professional can diagnose any glitches in the detector and advise you on the necessary steps to take.

Changing the Furnace Filters

Blocked and dirty filters are one of the many causes of carbon monoxide leaks, owing to the black airflow. As a responsible homeowner, you should change your furnace’s filter every 90 days and more frequently in case the building has a lot of occupants or pets.

Proper Installation

You should only opt for board-certified electricians and specialists to check if the furnace is adequately installed during your annual maintenance. If the system is not installed accurately, many problems can follow.

There we have it, a crisp overview of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and their importance in contemporary times.

Concluding Thoughts

Carbon monoxide detectors are not smoke detectors, and the other way around; you can for combined smoke and CO detectors, which are also available on the market. Consequently, investing in a smoke and carbon monoxide detector is a small price for the peace of mind and protection they offer.

Lastly, it is essential to have the detectors in your building regularly repaired and maintained. A certified electrical service provider in Edmonton should be your one-stop destination for all the installation and repair needs of detectors. They will also guide you on the type of detectors your building needs and how to take care of them. Contact professional electricals for smoke detector installation in Edmonton or surrounding areas.