Everyone is aware that a working smoke alarm can save lives by providing the few seconds needed to escape the blazing fire. You can think of smoke alarms as insurance for your family. The smoke alarms/detectors are among the most important installations in our home that ensure our safety. It is recommended that a smoke alarm is installed in or outside every room to prevent damage and life-threatening repercussions when a fire occurs. Also, keep in mind that installing only one smoke alarm might not be enough as it will fail to activate if the fire is outside its range. This is why multiple smoke alarms are required to cover the area of your house.

Generally, there are two different types of smoke alarms that you can set up at your home or have installed. These are:

• Hard Wired Smoke Alarm
• Battery-Operated Smoke Alarm

Let us discuss these two smoke alarms and compare them.

• Installation and Maintenance

A hard-wired smoke alarm requires effort in the installation. Comparatively, battery-powered smoke detectors can be installed easily. They are installed within minutes and can be purchased at any hardware store. Relying on a battery-powered alarm provides you with a false sense of security. You have to regularly check your smoke detector to see if they are functioning correctly. By simply replacing the batteries, they will be operational again. 

On the other hand, the hardwired smoke alarms are connected to our home’s main power supply. It requires an expert electrician for the successful installation of hardwired smoke alarms. The primary benefit of the hardwired alarm system is that you never have to test them. Though it takes more effort to install, the smoke alarms are interconnected. It is done so that when one smoke detector is activated, it engages all other alarms in your home. All alarm systems activate when one is triggered, which is why the hardwired smoke alarm is considered ideal.

Coming to the battery-powered smoke alarms system, the maintenance is only focused on battery replacement. You have to do this on a regular basis to stop power drain and alarms from malfunctioning. Before doing maintenance work for a hardwired smoke alarm, you must make sure that the master switch on the electrical panel is turned off. This must be done by an expert electrician only. 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, a smoke alarm must be replaced after every 10 years. 

• Interconnection

Where the battery-powered smoke detectors are discrete appliances, the hardwired smoke alarms are connected together. In case one goes off, all smoke alarms will get triggered. It is the most important and valuable trait of the hardwired smoke system. The interconnection will save valuable time when the detector will sound the alarm simultaneously on all other smoke alarms to alert the people.

• Which is more dependable?

Which is more reliable? Undoubtedly, the hardwired smoke detector is reputable. They are connected to the main power supply, so they will continue to sound until they are manually turned off. The hardwired alarms have battery backups to remain working in case there is a power supply cut. Contrary to that, the battery-operated smoke detectors depend only on their battery. As long as batteries have charge, they will work fine. Otherwise, weak batteries will affect the condition of the alarm. The sounds of the alarm solely depend on the amount of battery left.

A hardwired smoke system is a reliable option as you don’t have to worry about installing it. Though it requires more effort in the installation, it is a clear choice to go for hardwired smoke alarms when considering your home’s safety.

With hardwired smoke alarms, you will certainly never need to test them or take the chance of failing to remember to examine them. Whereas a battery-powered smoke detector requires a routine check of the batteries, which is quite a hassle. If you are looking to upgrade or find a new smoke detector installation service, get in touch with ElectriCall. We have the best electricians in Arvada, Colorado, who will install the smoke detectors that fit your requirements. 

The installation of the hardwired smoke alarm is a complicated procedure that entails tricky wiring work and advanced tools. It is best to hire a professional to install or replace hardwired smoke detectors.

Collaborating with electricity is no joke, so it is best to have a licensed electrical contractor. In many areas, the government has also mandated installing hardwired smoke alarms as part of the major remodeling or as a new construction job. Some people fear that if one smoke detector fails, all interconnected ones will stop working. However, this is not the case when they were not installed at the same time. All said and done, the hardwired smoke alarms are a better choice over the battery-operated smoke detectors as they provide the maximum protection available.