As the name suggests, a smoke detector is the piece of equipment placed in homes or buildings to detect smoke caused by a fire. In a commercial or industrial setting, smoke detectors issue a signal to a centralised fire alarm system. Stand alone smoke detectors, also known as smoke alarms, for domestic or small commercial settings send out a locally audible or visual alarm from the detector itself. Whichever process they use, the fact remains that smoke alarms are life savers. These devices help you to avoid any mishap or disaster due to sudden break out of fire. They send out the signal at the slightess hint of smoke detected in the air allowing us to take timely preventive measures. There have been many instances in the past where some serious damage to life and property could have been avoided if smoke alarms had been fitted.

Most smoke alarms can easily detect the smoke produced by flaming fire, smouldering fire, and even a slow burning fire. If you are planning to buy a smoke alarm for your house, you have three options: mains smoke alarm, mains smoke alarm with battery back up or battery only smoke alarm. The battery smoke alarm is powered by a battery, whilst a mains smoke alarm is powered by the mains electricity.

Battery powered smoke alarms are simple and easy to install. It is still desirable to have battery back up in a mains smoke alarm to allow the smoke alarm to carry on working even in the even of a power cut or electricity failure. In a standard battery smoke alarm, the battery would need to be replaced every 12 months. However, you could opt for the ones that are fitted with 10 and 15 year batteries to avoid the hassle of replacing the battery every year.
Mains smoke alarms need to be installed by a qualified electrician. Now, most mains smoke alarms come with a battery backup to ensure continual functionality regardless of the situation in hand. Both battery and mains smoke alarms offer additional benefits as well. For instance, these devices also feature emergency lights and silence buttons, for use where false alarms can be a nuisance especially when you are cooking. Some are also interlinkable, which means any smoke detected at one point can raise alarm at all other points as well.

Firex is one of the leading brands offering a wide range of both battery and mains smoke alarms. You may choose to buy Firex 230/240V, a mains interlinkable smoke alarm for your house. It comes with an Alkaline battery backup which provides a standby supply for up to 4 years. Its L models come with a Lithium battery or Lithium rechargeable batteries providing a backup of 10 years.
You can buy smoke alarms for your home online at competitive prices. One website that offers smoke alarms and a wide range of other electrical products at discounted prices is alertelectrical.com.