It is necessary to notice that the smoke alarm is really important in the process of protecting one’s home since it allows to detect a fire and make all necessary actions in advance. To the Australian homeowners this is a wakeup call as these devices have to be well maintained to work as expected in protecting your home and your loved ones. Here is some of the best practice that every homeowner in Australia can follow if they want to ensure that their smoke alarms are working optimally.
1. Regular Testing
However, one of the major ‘rules of thumb’ when it comes to the maintenance of smoke alarm is that of its testing occasionally. Homeowners in Australia should ensure that smoke alarms are checked on a monthly basis while it is recommended that smokers should ensure smoke alarms are tested monthly. Most units come with a test button which when depressed sets of a loud tone as a confirmation that the smoke detectors are functioning as they are expected to. In case it does not ring, most probably it needs batteries or replacement. Testing should be conducted on a regular basis so as to detect any problems which should then be rectified.
2. Battery Replacement
In case of battery-operated smoke alarms, the function of battery replacement cannot be overemphasized as part of maintenance. According to the Australians standards, batteries in your smoke alarms should be replaced every one year at least. A rule of thumb for using these devices is changing the battery when changing your clocks due to daylight savings time. If your smoke alarm starts beeping this is a signal that the batteries are low, ensure that you replace the batteries to ensure the smoke alarm is not for a single moment without power.
3. Cleaning and Dusting
Smoke alarms may have their performance hampered by dust and debris that may gather on them. First of all, in order to prevent from false alarm signals and in order to ensure that smokes alarms are functional, alarms should be cleaned often. First, stand the smoke alarm upside down and with a soft brush part from the vacuum cleaner, brush of the dust and cob webs very lightly. Do not wash or use water or cleaning chemicals as this will deteriorate the quality of the unit. Cleaning also helps to improve the sensitivity of the smoke alarm and reduce on fake alarms.
4. Replacement of Smoke Alarms
Eventually, smoke alarms have an expiry date and do not function as efficiently. On Australian standards, it is required to change the smoke alarm every ten years. The general working of the smoke alarms sensors may also decline over a while, rendering the device to work inefficiently. You must examine the date of manufacture of the smoke alarm and if you it is past its 10 years of manufacture it is best to replace it. In case you are still in doubt regarding the age of smoke alarm, it would be advisable to go for its replacement for greater safety.
5. Proper Placement
The use of smoke alarm will only be effective if it is placed in the right place as indicated in the research study. Each level of the house should be fitted with smoke detectors and they should also be placed inside the bedrooms and outside the bedrooms. They should be installed on the ceiling or far from the floor, where smoke tends to go, on the wall. Do not install smoke alarms too close to the kitchen or the bathroom because cooking smells or steam will set off the alarm off. This shall be particularly relevant to ensure that smoke alarms are installed at least 10 feet away from cooking appliances in order to minimize the chances of having false alarms.
6. Professional Inspection
It is also a good idea to have your smoke alarms looked over by a professional, but being on top of routine maintenance is an important thing as well. Many Australian homeowners can call several times per year fire safety specialists or electricians in order to ensure that their smoke alarms are working as they should and meet the current requirements. Periodic checkups by professional inspectors would come in handy in the event detection of some defects that are not so noticeable in day-to-day use.
7. Integration with Home Safety Systems or HSS for short
It is advisable further to connect the smoke alarms with other home safety systems for even greater security. Current smoke alarms can be interconnected, wherein if a particular alarm sees smoke, all the other alarms in the house will go off, making for a fuller protection. Further, there are models of smoke alarms with smart functions that can be controlled through a smartphone application, so you will be able to monitor the situation even if you are not at home.
Conclusion
Home safety and specifically the smoke alarm maintenance is something that every Australian homeowner needs to pay attention and take proper care of. Thus, you keep your alarms tested, their batteries replaced, dust off and replace old units to retain their effectiveness. Proper placement also contributes to their performance and professional inspections even improve their performance. By observing these tips on the maintenance of smoke alarms, you will be in a position to have them in the best state that will help you protect your family and house from fire incidents. In order to have a steady protection from fire, do not forget about smoke alarms Australia and keep these gadgets in good condition.
