Fires can be quite destructive and destroy almost everything they come into contact with. After a fire, your first major concern should be about fire and smoke damage cleanup in West Chester, PA, since the longer you delay, the greater the chance of damage due to the resulting smoke, odor, soot, and water.
In this post we will look at the different types of fire and smoke alarms, which can help you extinguish small fires before they turn into raging infernos.
What Are the Different Types of Fire and Smoke Alarms?
You can purchase different types of fire and smoke alarms. Let’s look at them below:
- Ionization smoke alarms
- Photoelectric smoke alarms
- Dual sensor smoke alarms
- Combination CO/smoke alarms
- Heat alarms
- Flame alarms
Ionization Smoke Alarms: These alarms are suitable for detecting hot and flaming fires. However, these smoke alarms might react slowly in the case of dense smoke developing due to low temperature or smoldering fires.
Photoelectric Smoke Alarms: The good thing about these alarms is that they can react quickly to smoldering fires. On the negative side, these alarms tend to be less sensitive in the case of very hot or flaming fires.
Dual Sensor Smoke Alarms: These alarms use both the photoelectric and ionization methods combined together. This means that these alarms are able to detect both flaming and smoldering fires.
Combination CO/Smoke Alarms: These alarms are able to detect carbon monoxide as well as smoke.
Heat Alarms: These types of alarms are useful if the fire produces a dense smoke. They are less sensitive but considered more suitable in comparison to smoke alarms if dense smoke is generated by fire.
Flame Alarms: These alarms are called line–of–sight devices, since they detect different types of lights (such as ultraviolet, visible, and infrared) that are emitted during a fire.
Which Type of Alarm Should You Use?
Smoke Alarms are useful for:
- Indoor locations that have low ceilings like restrooms and closets
- Places that are comparatively clean with the least amount of dirt and dust in the home
- Places where solid fuels (such as paper, wood, and fabric) are kept
Heat Alarms should be used in:
- Smoky or dusty environments
- Locations where combustion particles are generally present (like kitchens and garages)
Flame Alarms are most suitable for:
- Places with high ceilings and open spaces
- Semi–enclosed or outdoor locations where winds might block smoke from reaching the smoke alarms
- Locations where flaming fires can develop rapidly (like paint shops and fuel storage areas)
If your home has been severely damaged by fire and you’re looking for a company to perform fire and smoke damage cleanup in West Chester, PA, you should get in touch with ServiceMaster Professional Cleaning and Restoration at (610) 431-3553. Our technicians have the required knowledge, experience, and certifications to perform such cleanup tasks with the utmost care and proficiency so that normalcy can be restored in your home as quickly as possible.