We all know the important role smoke detectors play in keeping our homes safe, but have we ever asked, how they do it? 

The general idea of a smoke detector is if there is smoke in your home, office or any building you're in, you will be alerted with a terrifically loud beeping noise. 

There are two different types of common smoke detectors, says the National Fire Protection Association.

Photoelectric smoke detector: Inside the alarm there is a LED light that sends a beam of light in a straight line across the chamber. In a separate compartment in the chamber, there's a photo sensor that detects light. 

When smoke enters the alarm, the smoke particles disrupt the light. The light scatters in many directions and when the light beams hit the sensor, the alarm will go off. 

When your smoke alarm batteries are dying, your smoke alarm will create a high pitched chirping sound, higher than your smoke alarm, to let you know it’s time to change your batteries. 

Ionization smoke detector: Inside the smoke detector there are two metal plates. These plates are called electrodes and they’re connected to a battery which is called a circuit. You’ll also find a substance called Americium-241. Americium-241 converts air into positive and negative ions. The age old saying ‘opposites attract’ comes into play here. When the positive and negative mix together, it creates a full circuit or a full path of electricity. 

When smoke enters the alarm, the ions bond with the smoke and that breaks the path of electricity. When the flow of electricity is interrupted, the alarm goes off.  

With new age technology, average smoke detectors include both ionization and photoelectric technology in an  alarm. This way, you have double the amount of protection against fires in your home. 

What else do you need to help keep your home safe?

Most modern homes have carbon monoxide detectors because as technology evolves, so does your safety. 

Picture a cold winter morning, you're running late for work but you need to warm up your vehicle before heading out. You decide to run your car in the garage to withhold the harsh outdoor weather conditions for another few minutes. 

Most carbon monoxide detectors use an electrochemical sensor. They rely on how the behavior of a chemical changes when carbon monoxide is near, says SmartWise.com

On the inside of a carbon monoxide alarm is a sensor with three electrodes. The electrodes lead into a container of a chemical called electrolyte. 

This container is gas porous, which means gas from the environment can pass freely in and out of it. A small voltage is applied between two of the electrodes and when carbon monoxide enters the sensor, it reacts with the oxygen in the air. Then, releasing an electron and starting a current between the electrodes. 

Most carbon monoxide sensors show you the current level in the room, to ensure it’s working. The alarm will sound if there is a level of more than 400 parts per million. Or the alarm will go off if there is a sudden rise in levels and when the levels have suddenly dropped. 

Carbon monoxide gas is : one part carbon and one part oxygen. Carbon monoxide is produced with carbon fuel like wood, gasoline, coal, propane, natural gas, and heating oil.

These energy sources aren’t dangerous when you burn them in an open area with plenty of ventilation. But carbon monoxide is hazardous in confined spaces like basements, kitchens, garages, or campers.

Carbon monoxide is hard to detect without a sensor, which is one of the reasons it’s so dangerous.

Carbon monoxide can be deadly because it binds with your red blood cells and starves your body of oxygen after passing into your lungs.

Read more helpful information on Carbon Monoxide here.

Smoke Detector tips and tricks, here.

When you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, it can seriously reduce your risk of horrible accidents. Keep extra batteries in your home to keep you and your family safe from disasters. Find our batteries on Amazon here.