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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 warn
ing 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 unpredictable. For
maximum protection, Kidde recommends that both
Ionization and Photoelectric alarms be installed.
• A battery powered alarm must have a battery of the
specified 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 Alarm Features
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