Smoke alarms are designed to alert you if smoke enters your home. There are two types of smoke alarms, ionization and photoelectric. Ionization smoke alarms use an electrical charge to detect smoke particles while photoelectric smoke alarms detect smoke particles using infrared technology.
Both types of smoke alarms work well at detecting smoke and fire. However, they don’t always pick up all types of fires. Photoelectric alarms are more effective at detecting smoldering fires than ionization alarms. Smoke alarm testing service is available for testing these systems.
Smoke Alarm Testing Services: The 3 Types of Testing You Need to Know
There are three different types of smoke alarm testing you should know about before selecting a smoke alarm testing service provider. These types of tests are electro-mechanical tests, functional tests, and endurance tests. Each service is different, and it is important to understand which service is suitable for your needs. Read on to know more in detail to have an overall better understanding.
The smoke alarm testing service is the first step towards making sure that they work properly and are functioning correctly. There are several tests that should be performed to ensure that the device is working properly and is effective at alerting people to potential fire hazards.
These smoke alarm testing service tests include sensitivity test, sound-level test, and visual inspection.
- Sensitivity test involves placing a piece of paper or cloth over the detector and setting off a small amount of incense or candle wax. If the alarm goes off, then it is sensitive enough to detect the fire hazard.
- A Sound Level Test is conducted using a decibel meter to measure how loud the alarm sounds. Using a decibel scale from 0 to 100 the higher the number, the louder the alarm. After the decibel reading is taken, the smoke detector is placed near the ceiling where the highest noise levels occur. The smoke detector should be tested again after being moved to various locations throughout the house
- Visual inspections include looking at the unit closely and visually checking if any parts of the unit have been damaged.
Home Safety First: How to Test Your Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarm testing service at home becomes simple if you follow the mentioned-above processes.
- Turn off all power outlets and lights before testing.
- Place the smoke alarm where you normally would place it (usually near the door).
- If you have both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms, test them separately. Light a candle and hold it about 2-3 feet away from the front and back of the smoke alarm. Look through the mirror and watch the flame move towards the smoke alarm. If it moves toward the smoke alarm, then it’s working properly. If not, check your batteries.
- Make sure the batteries are fully charged.
- Turn on the power switch located on the back panel of the smoke detector.
- Open the battery cover located on the front panel of the smoke detector and remove the two black batteries.
- Replace the old batteries with fresh ones.
- Press the test button located on the front panel.
- Wait for 30 seconds before pressing the test button again.
- Repeat Steps 4 – 9 until the smoke detector makes a sound.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, you should make sure you are choosing the right smoke alarm testing service that can install the smoke alarms at your place efficiently. Hiring the professionals will make sure you get the job done with perfection.
