Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Features
•A battery powered alarm must have a battery of the specified type, in good condition and installed properly.
•A.C. powered alarms (without battery backup) will not operate if the A.C. power has been cut off, such as by an electrical fire or an open fuse.
•Smoke alarms must be tested regularly to make sure the batteries and the alarm circuits are in good operating condition.
•Smoke alarms cannot provide an alarm if smoke does not reach the alarm. Therefore, smoke alarms may not sense fires starting in chimneys, walls, on roofs, on the other side of a closed door or on a different floor.
•If the alarm is located outside the bedroom or on a different floor, it may not wake up a sound sleeper. •The use of alcohol or drugs may also impair one’s ability to hear the smoke alarm. For maximum protection, a smoke alarm should be installed in each sleeping area on every level of a home.
•Although smoke alarms can help save lives by providing an early warning of a fire, they are not a substitute for an insurance policy. Home owners and renters should have adequate insurance to protect their lives and property.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm
The carbon monoxide (CO) alarm monitors the air for the presence of CO. It will alarm when there are high levels of CO present, and when there are low levels of CO present over a longer period of time. When a CO condition matches either of these situations, the alarm/voice message warning system will sound, and be accompanied by the flashing red LED light. The carbon monoxide sensor uses an electrochemical technology.
9
