Which Smoke Alarms to Buy?

Which type of Smoke Alarm is the most effective?

All smoke alarms are designed to detect the presence of products of combustion (smoke) in the atmosphere. Different smoke alarm compliance detects different types of smoke products.

Did you know that when you sleep your sense of smell also sleeps? If a fire starts in your home, toxic fumes can overcome you. Choosing an interconnected photoelectric smoke alarm that meets Australian Standard 3786 is your best chance in the case of a fire in your home.

These alarms are designed to ‘see’ the smoke. Light that is deflected off smoke particles hits a ‘photocell’ and an electrical signal is sent to the audible alarm that alerts us to possible danger. The new legislation has a 10 year phased rollout where these alarms will be mandatory in all bedrooms, in hallways that connect bedrooms with the rest of the dwelling and on every level. They will also need to be interconnected, ensuring you can hear them from anywhere in the home.

Photoelectric alarms best detect smoldering fires. Ionisation best detect free-burning fires and tend to “false alarm” more frequently than photoelectric. This leads them to be taken down, batteries removed or covered by the homeowner or tenant, rendering them useless. Hence the reason why this type of alarm is being phased out in QLD.

Why do we recommend and always use photoelectric smoke alarms?

At Pacific Smoke Alarms QLD, we use only photoelectric smoke alarms in standard properties which meet the current QLD legislation. We make this conscious decision based on a few critical facts:

• Photoelectric smoke alarms contain no radioactive material
• Photoelectric smoke alarms are recommended by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service
• Photoelectric smoke alarms are much faster at detecting the majority of dangerous fire situations presented in domestic properties

A well practised fire escape plan should also be on your families to do list to ensure a quick escape. If you have read our February blog regarding the best positions to place your alarms in the home and taken action on all of the above you can feel secure knowing you have taken all the precautions possible in the event of a fire.