There are a few different types of home fire alarms offering different levels of protection at different price ranges. Some home alarms are installed when a home is being constructed. These are usually hard-wired into the home’s wiring system. It is always recommended that these types be installed by a certified professional. The most common type of home fire alarms is a smoke detector that can be installed quickly as a DIY home security project. Smoke detectors are usually installed throughout the house on ceilings or high walls and can be attached with screws or adhesive backing. One thing to remember with smoke alarms is to change the batteries at least every six months. It is a good practice to change the batteries when daylight savings time starts and ends.

Below is a list of some of the most popular home fire alarms and smoke detectors. Just click on the link for more information.

Kidde KN-COSM-IB Hardwire Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup and Voice Warning, Interconnectable

First Alert SA302CN Double Sensor Battery-Powered Smoke and Fire Alarm

Universal Security Instruments USI-3204-2P Photoelectric 120-Volt AC/DC Wired-In Smoke and Fire Alarm, 2-Pack

Fire alarm systems basically detect the presence of fire in your home in three ways.  Smoke Detectors determine the presence of smoke in an area of your house and alert you by sounding an alarm, usually a shrill whistle. Smoke detectors should be spread around your home on every level. The most popular places for smoke detectors are the kitchen, basements, and children’s bedrooms. The kitchen is always a potential hazard for fire with the chance of ovens or stove tops being left on or food burning while cooking. Since the basement is usually out of the way and not occupied, a fire could smolder for hours or days without being detected and children’s bedrooms are a place that parents want to know right away if there is smoke or fire present.

Thermostat detectors monitor the change in air temperature and are usually located in areas that have the potential for fire because of high heat. An example of one place detectors may be located is in a furnace room in an apartment or office building but these detectors have their place in some homes.

Carbon Monoxide detectors monitor the high presence of Carbon Monoxide (CO2), an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that kills over 200 people per year in the U.S. CO2 is produced when fuel doen’t get enough oxygen to burn. Examples of places where CO2 could be present include around furnaces and boilers, gas or fuel-oil water heaters, gas kitchen stoves, and automobiles in attached garages. In some states, one of them being Colorado, carbon monoxide detectors will soon be mandatory in every home. These detectors should be located in any space that is close to the examples above.

 
First Alert Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm – SC01CN3
BRK Brands 9120B Hardwire Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup
Kidde PI9000 Battery-Operated Dual Ionization and Photoelectric Sensor Smoke Alarm
Ademco Honeywell 5808W3 Photoelectric Wireless Smoke / Heat Detector