They give you the time you need to get out of the house to safety. Click on the picture above to see how simple and attractive universal home modifications can be. Every home should have at least one smoke detector on every floor. An upstairs detector can sense smoke wherever it originates. A downstairs detector will react sooner to a fire that could block escape routes on the first floor.
Smoke detectors differ in several ways.
Some detectors are powered by batteries that last approximately one year. Others operate on household electric current for as long as there is current in the circuit to which they are connected. Plug-in units must be located near an electric outlet where they will not be unplugged or turned off by a wall switch. Standard smoke detectors sound a loud alarm to wake home residents from their sleep. Special smoke detectors, designed for the hearing impaired, come equipped with a strong strobe light that blinks when the detector senses smoke.