Filter
Top Products
Smoke Alarm
The smoke alarm monitors the air for products of combus-
tion that are produced when something is burning or smol-
dering. When smoke particles in the smoke sensor reach a
specified concentration, the alarm/voice message warning
system will sound, and be accompanied by the flashing red
LED light. The smoke alarm takes precedence when both
smoke and carbon monoxide are present.
NFPA 72 states: Life safety from fire in residential occupan-
cies is based primarily on early notification to occupants of
the need to escape, followed by the appropriate egress
actions by those occupants. Fire warning systems for
dwelling units are capable of protecting about half of the
occupants in potentially fatal fires. Victims are often inti-
mate with the fire, too old or young, or physically or men-
tally impaired such that they cannot escape even when
warned early enough that escape should be possible. For
these people, other strategies such as protection-in-place or
assisted escape or rescue are necessary.
• Smoke alarms are devices that can provide early warning
of possible fires at a reasonable cost; however, alarms
have sensing limitations. Ionization sensing alarms may
detect invisible fire particles (associated with fast flaming
fires) sooner than photoelectric alarms. Photoelectric
sensing alarms may detect visible fire particles (associated
with slow smoldering fires) sooner than ionization alarms.
Home fires develop in different ways and are often unpre-
dictable. For maximum protection, Kidde recommends
that both Ionization and Photoelectric alarms be installed.
• A battery powered alarm must have a battery of the spec-
ified type, in good condition and installed properly.
• AC powered alarms (without battery backup) will not
operate if the AC power has been cut off, such as by an
electrical fire or an open fuse.
• Smoke alarms must be tested regularly to make sure the
batteries and the alarm circuits are in good operating
condition.
6
Smoke Alarm Features