The Kingsport Fire Department: The Co$t of Protecting Your Family From Fire.
KINGSPORT – The Kingsport Fire Department has recently received inquiries about how much a typical smoke alarm system for your home would cost. The value of the lives of your family members is priceless.
The KFD surveyed professional alarm installation companies in our area and received price quotes averaging $1000-$2000, plus a monthly monitoring fee that would alert you to danger in your home and even contact local fire and police. These systems can included smoke alarms, heat detectors, CO monitors and some even included motion sensors and other burglar type sensors and can be monitored 24hrs a day through your home phone system.
For the do it yourself person, you can purchase individual dual sensor smoke alarms, heat detectors, and CO alarms at a department store or home store. These units typically begin around $20-25 per unit and go up from there. Units can be hard wired into your homes electrical or have batteries. Also some alarms can be interconnected with other alarms in the home either hardwired or wireless.
The KFD suggests to install Dual Sensor (ionization/photoelectric) Alarms.
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.
- Test your smoke alarms every month.
- When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
- Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years
- Residents should add CO detectors is you have gas appliances, fire places or a wood burning stove.
- Use long life lithium batteries that can last up to 10 years in an alarm.
- Every family should plan and practice a Home Escape Plan.
The Best Home Fire Protection:
For the best fire protection residents can have a Home Sprinkler System installed. The Fire Protection Research Foundation found that the national average cost to builders to install sprinklers in new homes was $1.61 per sprinklered square bart. Installing both smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82%. Many insurance companies offer discounts ranging from 5% to 25% for home owners insurance when homes are equipped with fire sprinklers.‚ According to FM Global and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition fire sprinklers reduce fire damage by 97%, and use 91% less water than would be used for a typical home fire.
For more information about smoke alarms go to http://www.nfpa.org/
For more information about home fire sprinklers got to www.homefiresprinkler.org
Or contact the Kingsport Fire Marshals Office at 423-229-9440 or fire.kingsporttn.gov
Consult your local directory or the internet for professional alarm companies and home fire sprinkler contractors.