Fire and Smoke Safety Comes First

I’ve got a bunch of old smoke alarms in my house, two of which we’ve had to disconnect because they have been making chirping sounds non-stop. I guess I should be thinking of upgrading?

Immediately! You should never disconnect them as only working smoke alarms save lives. They are a vital safety component in any building. Government regulations are quite specific on the subject and you can view them at www.sa.gov.au/topics/planning-and-property/owning-a-property/smoke-alarms

There is a huge range on the market now. What’s one you’d recommend?

Yes, smoke alarms have come a long way in the past few years. One example is the classy Nest Protect unit, which is considered an industry leader with its smart-phone technology.

How’s that?

It’s won a lot of comparison tests by reviewers, who praise its ease of use and say that as well as being a high-tech combination smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm it’s also a house monitor.

How does it work?

The Nest Protect can identify whether there is smoke or carbon-monoxide fumes present, and whether the fire is fast-burning or smouldering. It is paired with your phone or tablet. This means that, wherever you are, if there is an incident at home you are alerted and can call the emergency services if required. Several can be linked to cover your whole house. It also has a self-test facility, which is great as many people don’t regularly check their alarms are working properly. When you are home it also uses voice technology to give early warnings and in a blackout situation turns into an emergency path light.