What is the best smoke alarm for you to choose to install in your room? It’s easy to think that a smoke alarm is just a smoke alarm and that one size fits all. And while any smoke alarm is better than none, you can pick a smoke alarm which is less prone to false alarms or is more sensitive to particular types of fire.
When you select a standalone smoke alarm, only that one device will sound when activated, meaning only those nearby will be alerted. For a small home, these are often audible all through the home still.
However, for a better level of protection, it is worth considering the inter-connectable versions. Depending on the version you select, these are either linked via bell cable or communicate using radio frequencies, and when one device detects a potential fire, they all sound to raise the alarm throughout the home. That means that no matter where they are in the home, they’ll have plenty of time to react.
When it comes to selecting the best smoke alarm for the home, it often varies depending on the room.
Best Smoke Alarm for the Living Room (Optical vs. Ionisation Alarms)
In the rooms you spend most of your time, these are often full of soft furnishings which will smoulder when they burn. As such, an optical smoke alarm is the best option at detecting these types of fires quickly and is less prone to nuisance alarms caused by steam.
Outdated and cheaper smoke alarms tend to use ionisation technology which is generally less reliable, and so they are best to steer away from now.
Best Smoke Alarm for the Kitchen (Heat vs. Dual Sensor Alarms)
When it comes to choosing the best smoke alarm for the kitchen, you may have a few choices. The most common option is a heat alarm which is activated by high temperatures often found during combustion rather than looking for smoke, which could be activated by cooking fumes and steam.
Place in the centre of the room so they’re not above a heat source, such as a cooker, for best reliability.
Your other option is a smoke alarm which uses dual sensors. This may combine smoke and heat sensors, or a smoke and carbon monoxide sensor. These are the most reliable and can protect against multiple threats, but means that they work together to further prevent false alarms.
Best Smoke Alarm for the Hallway (Emergency Lighting & Alarm Options)
Often located near a bathroom or kitchen, there is likely to be the presence of smoke and steam, so therefore an optical smoke alarm is the most reliable option, just as it is in the living rooms.
However, it is possible to purchase a smoke alarm which is combined with an emergency light. With the hallway often being the emergency route out of your home, the light would illuminate whenever the alarm is activated and will illuminate your way to safety.
Best Smoke Alarm for the Bedroom (Voice Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Protection)
Once again, the optical smoke alarm comes up trumps as it will detect smouldering fires which would be caused by furniture and soft furnishings.
However, research has shown that the traditional smoke alarm noise is not always successful at waking people up—particularly children and the elderly. The most reliable option is a smoke alarm which combines a sounder with a voice alarm in the event of a fire.
However, it is also recommended that you have a carbon monoxide alarm in bedrooms, as well as rooms which feature a fireplace or gas boiler. This is because we’re most vulnerable to CO poisoning while we’re asleep.
It’s easy to protect yourselves against all of the risks you may find in your own home, no matter what, with battery and mains-powered versions available, depending on your needs.
