Smoke, Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detection

A great number of people are injured, suffer property loss and die as a result of a fire. Despite the fact that fire can easily be prevented it remains one of the primary causes of injury suffered at one's residence in the United States. In many instances where people have died in a fire, the reason was that they were not alerted that their residence or the building which they occupy is ablaze.

Fire alarm systems warn people of a potential fire. It warns the occupant while they still have time to either put out the fire or evacuate to safety. Most of today's fire alarm systems automatically call or notify the nearest fire department so that the fire will not spread out of control. Fire alarms can be activated by hand or by temperature detectors or smoke alarms.

Fire alarms are most of the time set to detect levels of heat or smoke which usually is an indication of fire. And some fire alarm systems have blinking or flashing lights for those who have a hearing impairment. Due to modern technology, fire prevention alarms are now incorporated with residential burglar alarm systems for the greatest protection and the best safeguarding of an individual's residence.

Smoke alarms are a component of any well designed fire prevention system, they sense smoke in the atmosphere of the room, closet or hall of a residence or public building and activate an alarm thus warning people nearby of a possible fire. Most smoke detectors detect smoke nowadays either by ionization or optical detection and some smoke detectors have carbon monoxide detectors that detect carbon monoxide thus preventing carbon monoxide poisoning.

The optical sensor in smoke alarms is a light detector which utilizes a laser beam of light. These beam sensors then sends a laser like beam to other sensors, if smoke is non-existent, the laser like beam passes through the optical chamber of the light sensor in a straight line. If smoke is present, the laser like beam is scattered by the smoke particles as it enters the light sensor and the scattered light then triggers the alarm of the smoke alarm.

Ionization detectors are much cheaper than light detectors, although these types of smoke detectors are discouraged from being used because of environmental reasons. Ionization alarms work by sensing smoke particles by a minute quantity of radioactive "americium-241" for this reason they are increasingly being discouraged from being utilized. This radiated material goes through an ionization compartment. This chamber permits the steady flow of current of electrodes, so that when smoke particles enter this chamber it interrupts the flow thus setting the alarm off.

Some fire alarm systems have sprinkler system that will contain or put out the fire before it becomes uncontrollable. However the only way to prevent fire is to take steps to be careful and take additional preventive measures.

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

John Leo has managed companies in the low voltage products industry. Home theater audio cable, fire alarm cable, coaxial, and security alarm cable have been the focus of his thirty year career. webmaster@worldwide-products.biz www.worldwide-products.biz

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