Every home has a fire detection system. This vital safety feature should be well understood. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and security systems give homeowners peace-of-mind. Furthermore, when combined with a security system, these devices work together to form a complete home protection plan.

The second type of detector is an ionization detector. It uses a small amount of radioactive material to ionize the air in an internal chamber. This in turn, generates a voltage that can be measured. By-products of combustion will change the voltage that is generated and trigger the alarm. This type of detector is better at identifying active combustion with little to no smoke.

While both types of smoke detectors will safely alert a homeowner to a fire, combination alarms exist that employ both methods. Consequently, the responsiveness of the whole system increases. Hard-wired detectors are also available which can be wired to trigger all the alarms in a home if anyone detects a problem.

In any appliance that uses combustion, such as a furnace or stove top, a potential exists for hazardous carbon monoxide buildup. This by-product is tasteless, odorless, colorless, and highly toxic in large concentrations. Therefore, a carbon monoxide detector is highly recommended. It will monitor the levels of CO in the air and alert inhabitants before they become dangerous. They are available as stand-alone units that can be plugged in to standard wall outlets or as combination roof-mounted CO and smoke detectors.

Home security systems have been around for decades and make use of a combination of sensors including door, window, glass-break, and motion sensors. Historically, these devices were hard-wired and fed back to a central control panel. Many modern systems make use of wireless sensors that allow for easy retrofitting of existing homes. Door and window sensors utilize a small magnet and magnetic strip held open when the door or window closes. If the magnet is moved away, the magnetic strip springs closed and triggers the alarm.

Glass-break sensors are placed near windows and use a microphone to listen for the distinctive frequencies associated with glass breaking. Motion detectors take advantage of a variety of technologies, such as passive infrared, microwave, or ultrasonic. This technology detects something moving within its range. These can be part of exterior security lights or interior motion sensors. Security cameras can also play a role in home security. Install them indoors or outdoors.

When installed and used properly, a home security system can easily increase home safety while reducing the chances of burglary or fire. Most insurance companies offer discounts for home security systems. Because of this, the entire cost of the system may be offset or eliminated altogether. Be sure to ask your insurance company about discounts to homeowner’s insurance for improving or installing a new security system.

You know that misusing your electrical system can be dangerous. With so much power coursing through the wiring in your home, it’s possible to cause a house fire if your system isn’t working properly.

Although an overcurrent protective device is installed on your electrical system to prevent house fires, you shouldn’t rely on that exclusively for your family’s safety. To ensure you and your family is safe, it’s important to know how to reduce the load on your circuits to prevent blackouts and the potential for a house fire.

An electrical overload is when one circuit in your household is expected to produce more power than it can reasonably handle. You don’t have to be a licensed electrician to recognize you are overloading your circuit. If you notice that your power trips when you plug in an electrical device, then you are overloading the circuit that electrical socket is on. Fortunately, there are ways you can reduce the load and prevent blackouts.

The easiest way to reduce the load any one circuit is responsible for is to use another circuit. If your circuits aren’t mapped out in your breaker box, then you can reasonably determine what sockets are associated with different circuits by manipulating the switches. Once you turn off the electricity in one room, you can test what sockets aren’t working to determine what sockets in your home are associated with each circuit. There is no danger to you by doing this, but it is time-consuming.

Armed with the information about what sockets work on the same circuit, you should distribute your use of electrical sockets across various circuits. By using other electrical outlets, you will avoid the tendency to cause a blackout.

You can improve your home’s safety by being mindful of your electrical system. If you are experiencing blackouts or you rely on a lot of electrical devices, it’s important that you avoid overloading your system. Beyond switching to a new circuit, you can have a member of our team install a new circuit which would help reduce your electrical load.