Firex FADCQ manual Fire is Unpredictable, Different Types of Smoke Alarms

The Dangers of Fire

Fire is Unpredictable

•Fire can burn a two-story home to the ground in minutes.

•Fire can elevate air temperatures at eye-level to over 1200˚F (650˚C)!

•In a typical home fire you have just minutes to escape, which is why it is so important to have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home and in every bedroom or sleep- ing area.

Depending on the source, materials involved, and environment, fire can spread rapidly or smolder slowly for hours.

Different Types of Smoke Alarms

Ionization smoke alarms are generally more effective at detecting fast, flaming fires which consume combustible materials rapidly and spread quickly. Sources of these fires include paper burning in a waste container or a grease fire in the kitchen. Photoelectric smoke alarms are generally more effective at detecting slow, smoldering fires which smol- der for hours before bursting into flame. Sources of these fires may include cigarettes burning in couches or bedding.

NOTE - This FADCQ alarm uses only an ioniza- tion type detector for sensing smoke. You may wish to consider installing other photoelectric alarms or combina- tion ionization/photoelectric dual sensor alarms in your home for increased protection.

The Dangers of CO

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a Toxic Gas

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious issue. Many families suffer daily, and over one thou- sand lives are lost each year because of this deadly household gas.

•You cannot see, smell, or taste CO.

•The effects of CO poisoning can cause house- hold members to become extremely ill or even cause death.

•CO poisoning can happen almost anywhere. Many appliances like furnaces, ovens, fire- places, kerosene heaters, and grills may silently emit CO because of damage, poor maintenance, or defects.

Understanding How CO Forms

Appliance Malfunction: CO forms when fuel burns without sufficient oxygen (incom- plete combustion). This type of malfunction can happen to any fuel-burning appliance at any time.

Environmental Conditions: Example: Fireplace chimneys can fill with leaves during the fall season. If enough leaves, dirt, and soot are accumulated in the chimney, proper ventilation will be interrupted. This can cause a backdraft of CO into the home. The result can be fatal. With proper maintenance and cleaning, however, the potential for CO build up can be reduced.

WARNING

BE AWARE OF COMMON SOURCES OF CARBON MONOXIDE. See Chapter VII for details.

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