Fire and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms play a crucial role in the protection of homes. Every fire and CO alarm is different, so it’s important to ensure you are choosing the right one. When buying a fire or CO alarm, it’s essential to consider the type of room, the grade of alarm, and requirements of the home itself. In this fire alarm buying guide, Aico details the different alarm options and which ones are best suited for various areas of the home.
Optical smoke alarms
Optical smoke alarms use infrared light to detect smoke. When enough smoke enters the sensor chamber, the particles scatter the infrared light onto a receiver that would usually not see the light pulses, this causes the alarm to activate. These types of sensors are less susceptible to interference from cooking fumes than ionisation alarms.
The optical sensor is better at detecting slow, smouldering fires. This makes an optical smoke alarm perfect for rooms such as the hallway, landing, bedroom or living room, where fires may involve burning carpet caused by overheated wiring, or slow-burning fires.
Aico’s Ei3016 Optical Smoke Alarm contains a high-performance optical sensor. Its lithium battery back-up, in use when mains power is not available, eliminates the need for battery replacement in its 10-year life.
Heat alarms
Heat alarms use a heat sensor to detect fast, flaming fires, best suited for fires caused by cooking or flammable liquids, making them perfect for the kitchen or garage. As they are not triggered by smoke, heat alarms are much less prone to false alarms in these areas.
The Ei3014 Heat Alarm contains a high-performance thermistor heat sensor, designed to provide a faster alarm response when triggered by temperatures 58°C and over.
Multi-sensor fire alarms
Using a multi-sensor alarm can be useful when needing to install more than one sensor type in the same location, without having to install multiple alarms.
For an all-round response to fire and carbon monoxide, opt for the Ei3030 Multi-Sensor Fire & CO Alarm, with all three sensors in one device. Suitable for any bedrooms, dining rooms, hallways, landings, living rooms and lofts which contain fuel-burning appliances, the Ei3030 has it all. With the same LED indicators as the Ei3028, the Ei3030 is the ultimate fire and CO alarm.
Carbon monoxide alarms
With CO being a tasteless, colourless and odourless gas, having a high-performance detector in place is vital for the safety of your household. In the event of a CO emergency, having a CO alarm will alert you as soon as dangerous levels are present and rising.
The Ei3018 Carbon Monoxide Alarm has a proven electrochemical sensor to monitor CO levels, with a different sounder pattern to differentiate the CO alarm to any fire alarms in the house.
Key considerations for selecting the right fire alarm
When choosing a fire or CO alarm, you should consider the room size and layout, the proximity to potential fire hazards such as kitchens or fireplaces, and whether you need interconnected alarms.
It’s vital to ensure the correct fire alarm is chosen for the right type of room. Understanding the grades of alarm and different sensor types will allow you to make a more informed decision when purchasing alarms to protect your home from fire.
Explore Aico’s product range at aico.co.uk.