How to Pick a Smoke Detector...

Ever wonder about the different types of smoke detectors out there?  My bet is you've never wondered that.  Well today, I'm going to give you cause to wonder, and along the way I'll share some insight into what to look for next time you need to replace one.  I've been trained in the ways of the smoke detector and so I am uniquely qualified to share this insight with you.  I'm not kidding.

Smoke Detectors Die

The first thing to know is, they die.  That's correct, it's not a lifetime relationship.  At some point your smoke alarm will give it's last feable chirp, and then it will protect you no more.  The life expectancy is about 10 years.  Which is much longer that the life expectancy of a competition tennis ball, which is 24 hours from the time the can is opened, but that's a topic for another day.  At about ten years you need to replace them.  If they are older, just replace them.  Newer technology smoke detectors often have voice warning rather than beeps for smoke and fire hazards.  These have a special message for when it's time to replace the detector.  I'm not sure the exact text of the message but I think the detector gathers the family into the room and has a deep an meaningful talk about the circle of life, family memories of the past ten years, asks you to hold it's hand, which you won't be able to do because it doesn't have hands, it will ask you to squeeze it tighter, that it can't feel it.  You'll exchange confused looks, there will be a few tiny burnt toast smoke coughs and a tearful goodbye.  I'm not sure but I also think the little guy then gets an "X" over it's photoelectric eye and he's gone.  I hope that's the case, but this wasn't in the training.

Types of Smoke Detectors

There are two types of smoke detectors.  Photoelectric and Ionization.  To keep this brief photoelectric tend to be most effective and are very good for fires that begin by smoldering.  These are the ones you'll have in your home, unless someone drops a Molotov cocktail taking it from your bar to the dining area.  Ionization are the older technology and are particularly good at telling you when you've burned your toast - just in case you need a second opinion.  Photoelectric dectectors "see" smoke, ionization detectors have to smell it by getting a particle in it's tiny nose.  This is why dust will also set them off.  So ionization detectors are also good for telling you when it's time to dust.

Different Detectors for Different Rooms?

When you go to your local smoke detector boutique, you'll notice they have them for kitchens, hallways, living areas and bedrooms.  They all have different sensativities and features that are specifically designed for safety in those areas.  For example, kitchen detectors are designed to NOT tell you when you burned the toast.  So going forward, you'll need a child or significant other to give you a simple, "you burned the toast" for that second opinion.  Hallway detectors have a little LED light to illuminate your path when the alarm goes off.

Battery Life
Most new detectors have a 10 year lithium ion battery so you don't have to change them.  No more middle of the night chirping.  If you have detectors that are wired together through the walls and ceilings, these still have a battery backup.  Change them when you set your clocks back or forward - the leading reason to maintain daylight saving time.  Oh yeah, this Saturday you should change your batteries.

CO Detectors

Carbon Monoxide detectors are a must have too.  You can get these combined with new technology smoke dectectors or you can get the kind that plug in near the floor in a wall outlet.  These often have battery backup too.  Remember this!  I once changed the batteries of 11 smoke detectors only to still hear the #$%&# chirp! I then remembered the CO detector.

There's more than you ever wanted to know about smoke detectors.