Mistakes People Make

Photoelectric vs Ionisation

Photoelectric are less prone to nuisance alarms such as from cooking smoke. Photoelectric smoke alarms are better than ionisation types at detecting a smouldering fire, which is what most house fires tend to be in the crucial initial stages.

As you lose your sense of smell while sleeping, the earliest possible warning of a smouldering fire is very important. Photoelectric smoke alarms provide the earliest detection of a fire hazard in the home, so occupants can escape quickly and safely.

Photoelectric alarms provide the earliest detection

Photoelectric alarms are mandatory in QLD and NT, and are also recommended by all other state fire departments. Ionisation alarms respond to fast-flaming fires, but that means they are more liable to be triggered by steam and kitchen fumes.

All smoke alarms are best kept away from bathrooms and kitchens if you don’t want alarms going off needlessly. When it’s time to upgrade, install photoelectric type alarms for early warning of any fire to allow enough time to escape.

See Clipsal's range of smoke alarms

Safety Matters

The latest move with smoke alarm regulations is that alarms should be interconnected. That means if one alarm detects fire, all of the alarms in the house go off. It’s a better system for alerting people if a fire in the living room also sets off an alarm in the room in which they are sleeping.

Safety in the home is a serious issue. There are always improvements that can save lives. It wasn’t all that long ago that smoke alarms were unknown. Older homes frequently still have just an ageing battery alarm and even old fashioned fuses.

If you go to the trouble of upgrading smoke detectors, it would be remiss not to consider latest innovations that can help to prevent electrical fires as well.

AFDD - An innovation in electrical safety

Modern circuit breakers (those switches that occasionally trip in your fuse box) are good at preventing over-loading and short-circuit of electrical cables. However, they’re not designed to detect hidden arc faults in electrical circuits caused by broken wires, loose connections, crushed cables behind bedside or cables damaged by pests.

For a complete protection against fires, you need Arc Fault Detection Device (AFDD) installed in your switchboard. An AFDD is a latest innovation in safety that automatically cuts the electricity supply when it detects an arc fault in a circuit. AFDDs are highly recommended for wooden buildings and locations having people with less mobility due to age or disability.