A fire detection system alerts people to extinguish a fire in its early stages or leave a building before the escape routes become smokelogged.
The most common kind of fire detector for the home is a smoke detector. This is often battery operated and installed in riskier areas such as the kitchen.
Other devices detect heat instead of smoke. There are two types of heat detectors - fixed temperature and rate-of-rise.
Fixed temperature detectors are triggered when the ambient temperature increases to a certain level and rate-of-rise detectors work when the room temperature rises at a rate higher than the one preset by the detector, usually an increase of 6.7 to 8.3 degC a minute.
The last type of fire detector, which also has the fastest and most accurate response, is a flame detector. Usually, it detects ultraviolet radiation emitted when a fire is ignited, but some models pick up infrared radiation.
Ei Electronics Ei605 (9V Battery Type) Smoke Detector, $75
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FIRE INSURANCE
While prevention is the best insurance, fires can occur through no fault of your own because of external factors, so it is important to know what fire insurance you have or lack.
The General Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA) tells The Sunday Times in an e-mail that there are two types of home fire insurance widely available. One covers the building, fixtures and permanent fittings and the other covers household contents.
Housing Board flat owners do not have to bear the full financial burden of post-fire repair work as the Housing Board would already have purchased a master fire insurance policy to cover the building and common areas such as void decks. More information can be found at bit.ly/2sxzNhY.
However, the policy does not cover household contents such as furniture, fittings, appliances, artworks and personal effects such as jewellery and clothing. Flat owners are advised to buy a separate fire insurance policy for these items.
As for private residences, GIA chief executive Derek Teo says such buildings are likely to be registered as Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) property as required by law.
"In this case, the Land Titles Act would require the MCST holder to insure the whole property against fire damage. Thus, the building and common areas will similarly be insured," he adds.
Private home owners are also advised to purchase insurance cover for household contents and structural improvements made to their units.
Depending on the coverage, home contents insurance premiums start from $100 a year.
For this insurance, Mr Teo says: "Some policies impose a monetary limit per article insured. For example, it could be $5,000 per article, although the actual replacement value is much more.
"If you have a single expensive household item or item of furniture that may form a substantial percentage of the overall sum insured, it would be better to declare to the insurer at the inception of the policy to ensure full protection."