Do you have smoke alarms installed at your home yet? Smoke alarms can give the home’s occupants an early warning in case of a fire. Smoke alarms can buy precious minutes to escape from a burning house. This is all the more relevant for Mozambique, where the use of burglar bars in front of the windows may reduce the number of escape routes drastically. Moreover, smoke alarms can warn sleepers of a fire. The majority of fatalities in residential fires are caused by asphyxiation from the smoke, rather than by burns.
According to a report published by the National Fire Protection Association the risk of dying in reported home structure fires is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. Battery powered smoke detectors are a relatively cheap and simple solution. However, hardwired smoke detectors are much more effective. Therefore, hardwired smoke detectors are recommended for new homes.
Our tips:
Install smoke detectors in every bedroom and on each floor.
Replace the battery at least once a year.
Replace smoke detectors at least every ten years.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the mounting of the smoke detectors.
Design an escape plan for your home.
It should be noted that fire detectors that are not linked to a fire panel rely on occupants hearing the alarm. To protect your home against fire when you are not present, rather use a fire alarm system that can alert you remotely in case of a fire. See also our post Protecting life and property with fire alarm systems.
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