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| Know Your
Smoke Detectors |
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There are
three main types of alarm that can protect you and
your home:
1. An ionisation
smoke alarm detects fires that burn fast and with
flames, such as furniture or fabrics. So, you should
place these types of smoke detectors in your lounge
and bedrooms, but NOT next to an en-suite bathroom.
If this alarm alerts you to a fire, the best extinguisher
to have handy would be a 2kg domestic multi-rating
ABC powder extinguisher.
2. A photoelectrical
or optical smoke alarm detects smouldering or slow-burning
fires that give off smoke and ash, rather than burst
into flames. This is the best type of alarm to have
near a kitchen or bathroom door, as they are not
set off by steam or cooking particles. Place them
in your hallway or landing, or anywhere near a bathroom
door.
Again, make sure you also have easy access to a
domestic-sized fire extinguisher upstairs, to save
precious seconds running downstairs to fetch one.
3. A mains heat
detector only activates if the temperature rises
above 57 degrees C (135 degrees F), so they are
ideal for use in your kitchen. They are ideal as
they won’t go off every time you fry or overcook
a cake, but will alert you to a more serious incident.
Your kitchen fire safety kit should consist of at
least a wall-mounted fire blanket and a multi-rated
domestic fire extinguisher. If you have a lot of
electrical equipment in your kitchen, you might
like to also consider a CO2 fire extinguisher, to
minimise damage to your expensive fridge or mixer!
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