Advantages of Hardwired Smoke Detectors

We all want our homes to be as safe as possible and that means having smoke detectors.

We all want our homes to be as safe as possible and that means having smoke detectors.  If you go to your local big box store you will see a variety of smoke detector options, from plug-in smoke detectors, to battery powered smoke detectors, to hardwired smoke detectors.  There are a variety of styles, options and price points so it can be difficult to determine which to choose.  Further, hardwired smoke detectors are a bigger investment so it leaves many homeowners wondering if it is really worth it, or if other options are just as good.  One thing we know for sure, while battery powered smoke detectors work just as well in theory, the problem is that many homeowners forget to replace batteries or batteries fail – leaving battering powered smoke detectors useless.  The National Fire Protection Association provides startling statistics about how big a problem battery powered smoke detectors can be, “The death rate per 100 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms (1.18 deaths vs. 0.53 deaths per 100 fires). In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, almost half (46%) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries. Dead batteries caused one-quarter (24%) of the smoke alarm failures.”  It is for this reason that many homeowners are opting for hardwired smoke detectors.

A hardwired smoke detector runs off of the home’s electrical grid so, should the home’s electric be shut off or malfunction for some reason, hardwired smoke detectors would not work.  However, many hardwired smoke detectors have a backup battery function as well that would allow them to still function if a home’s electric power was not working.  But, batteries must remain fresh so that means you cannot just stick a battery in there and hope it will work 10 years later.  Hardwired smoke detectors are great because they can be interconnected which means that they would alarm and alert you to a problem, wherever you are in your home.  What is important to remember about hardwired smoke detectors, though, is that that you must have them installed by a professional handyman, contractor or electrician with experience in electrical wiring to ensure that it is done correctly and that your home is safe.  Ultimately, it is most important to choose the option that is not only right for your home but right for your peace of mind.  Ensuring you and your family’s safety is priority #1 so you want to choose the safest, most effective option, installed in the most accurate way by a professional.