There is no reason any family should ever be caught by surprise by a fire inside their home. Properly working smoke detectors eliminate this type of ugly surprise and, in doing so,  double the odds of surviving a home fire. A majority of fatal fires happen when families are asleep. A smoke detector stands guard around the clock, and when it first senses smoke, it sounds a shrill alarm, often buying a family the precious time it takes to escape.

In this section of HomeTips, you will get valuable information on the types of smoke detectors, how to install and maintain them, and where to place them.