Since the invention of fire alarms, people have sought optimal protection from fire in their homes. While the concept of a fire alarm system is simple, there are many different factors to consider when looking for your ideal home protection. So if you're thinking about getting your own or upgrading an existing system, you must know what kinds of features and sensors can be found on different models. We've put together this guide to help you find your ideal home fire/smoke alarms and make an educated decision to keep you and your family safe. It's always best to consult a professional alarm technician for expert advice, but you should be able to determine what kind of system will work for you after reading this section.

Fire Alarm Quantity

You first want to look for the total number of bells and chimes the system can produce. Essentially, you want to choose a fire alarm system with enough bells to have a high likelihood of sounding the alarm and for the whole house to hear it regardless of positioning. The more bells and chimes, the more chances everyone can listen to it clearly. Not only will you find larger systems with as many as 30 chimes, but they can also include other features, such as whether or not they respond or alert your smartphone or tablet. You can also find systems that include speakers so everyone in your home can easily hear notifications while they're still in bed. It's also a good idea to check the decibel level because this will affect how you hear the devices. Anything above 85 dB is loud enough to wake you up if you're a light sleeper and should be considered in your final choice.

Fire Alarm Placement

The ideal home fire alarm placement is easily accessible and quickly attended to. You want someone to be able to reach the alarm, pull it down, and then know what they need to do. The ideal home fire alarms should be in the center of the ceiling (or floor), so you can hear them throughout your house. Another location that's becoming increasingly popular is right outside your bedroom door, so you can be alerted whenever there is a danger in your home or if someone leaves a door open. At the same time, they go through to another part of your house. It's essential to keep the alarm as close to you as possible so you can listen to the warning and respond accordingly.

Fire Alarm Testing

How often should you test your fire alarms? Do you know how to test them properly? Today's alarm systems are far more technologically advanced than stinky smoke bombs, so it's essential to learn the proper procedure for testing your fire alarms. The best way to do this is to note the maximum time you want your system to wait before it sounds like an alert. Also, don't forget about the batteries in your smoke alarms. They shouldn't be used for longer than ten years, so if your home hasn't been updated in quite a while, make sure that you're installing new smoke detectors and checking the old ones. It's not worth it to have a broken system and no one knowing there's smoke in the house.