Home remodeling projects offer a dizzying array of choices for the Houston area homeowner. For instance, if you’re upgrading or installing safety equipment in your home, you can choose between a hard-wired or wireless system for your smoke and CO2 detector installation. Each option comes with its own set of pros and cons. Let’s examine both and see which one’s best for your home.
Wired Smoke Detector Installation
In a wired installation, the system is typically powered by home AC electricity. Each component of the system is connected to the same power source and functionally interconnected to all other components. There are several advantages to this type of installation: A hard-wired system with a battery backup will continue working even if power is lost, and there is no need to remember to replace individual batteries in each detector, since everything is wired to a single power source.
Hard-wired detectors aren’t just universally powered, they also work in unison. When one unit detects smoke or CO2 in any area of the home, an alarm is triggered by all units. This allows occupants to be alerted to an emergency condition wherever they are in the home when the alarm sounds. Wireless detectors work independently, so you may not be aware if an alarm is triggered in a remote area of the home.
Wireless Smoke Detector Installation
Whereas a wired system usually requires a licensed electrician to install, a wireless installation can be a DIY project. Consequently, a wireless smoke and CO2 detector installation is generally much less expensive.
If you opt for a wireless smoke and CO2 detector installation, you don’t need to connect the system to home AC, and finished walls can remain intact since there’s no wiring to run throughout the house. There’s also more flexibility as to where you can install wireless detectors, as opposed to a hard-wired installation, which requires proximity to an AC power source.
Depending on the year your home was constructed and the type of heating it uses, your home may be required to also have carbon monoxide detectors installed. Homes built after Jan. 1, 2008, or homes using fossil fuels for heating are required by law to meet these specifications.
If you are planning a home remodel or need construction services in Houston, Tell Projects can help. We’ll handle the drywall and painting if you’ve got a wired smoke and CO2 detector installation planned. Give us a call for cabinetry work, exterior and interior renovations and much more. We offer free consultation!