First Alert Consumer Report: Budget-friendly smoke and carbon monoxide alarms [Video]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Many house fires today, burn faster, hotter, and are deadlier than ever. That’s because many newer homes have open floor plans with fewer walls and doors, allowing the fire to travel faster and more freely.

Another factor is that many homes have furnishings made with synthetic materials, like plastic or particleboard, which burn much quicker than say, solid wood, so getting an early fire warning and then getting out is more important than ever.

This advice from the National Fire Protection Association makes it easy: install an alarm on each floor, test at least once a month, and replace it after 10 years.

Consumer Reports’ exclusive Smoke Detectors list offers ratings for the top devices.

The SimpliSafe SSSD3 dual-sensor smoke detector received top scores for detecting both flaming and smoldering fires. It’s battery-operated which means you won’t need a professional to hard wire it. It can also be interconnected so if one alarm sounds off, …