topic Smoke detectors in Home

Smoke detectors

Abrowneyegirl — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 13:54:22 GMT

Does your laundry room have a smoke/carbon monoxide detector?

Our house has hard-wired smoke and CM detectors throughout the house and garage but I noticed the other day nothing in the laundry room.

After a coworker had a tragic house fire related to a dryer fire I am overly cautious regarding cleaning the lint trap and not running the dryer unattended. I also learned that a clogged dry vent will cause CM to back up into the house. I had never known that.

I ordered a detector.

Do you have a detector in your laundry room?

Re: Smoke detectors

Group 5 minus 1 — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 14:01:23 GMT

Yes. Building code requirment.

Re: Smoke detectors

Abrowneyegirl — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 14:07:49 GMT

@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:
Yes. Building code requirment.

It should be. What is required smoke or CM or both?

Re: Smoke detectors

Bri369 — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 14:26:34 GMT

Yes, I do have one in the laundry room.

I did have a dryer fire. I turned on the dryer and was getting ready to leave the house. By the time I got my keys and purse, the smoke alarm was buzzing and I smelled smoke. I quickly turned off the dryer. I called the fire department. When they got there, they showed me the lint that caught on fire.

I shudder to think what would have happened if I left that dryer unattended. My house would have burned down.

Anyway, I never run the dryer unattended now. I make my husband take the front panel off and check to see if lint is backing up.

Re: Smoke detectors

gidgetgh — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 14:38:19 GMT

We don't have one in the laundry room. To be honest, I don't think we have an outlet on the wall.

However, our laundry room is on the second floor, next to the master bedroom. We DO have a carbon monoxide detector plugged in the hallway wall so it's like 4 feet from the laundry room. We also have 2 smoke detectors upstairs as well as a carbon monoxide and multiple smoke detectors downstairs.

Re: Smoke detectors

Sweetbay magnolia — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 15:02:22 GMT

I have an electric dryer and I keep the vent and filters clean, so no, but the smoke alarm is just feet from the laundry room in a hallway. Thankfully the dryer vent goes directly through the wall to the outside, so it's pretty easy to check.

I do not make it a practice of running the dryer when I am gone.

In another house, I had co2 poisoning from a faulty furnace repair. Obviously I lived to tell the tale but it is horrible and I certainly understand how quickly you would perish, especially if sleeping. Those detectors do save lives (we had none at the time, and they were not yet required by code).

Re: Smoke detectors

LilLadyNJ — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 15:17:51 GMT

I have two Carbon Monoxide detectors on the upper floor near bedrooms and two on the main floor; one in the kitchen and one in the living area.

I have my dryer vents professionally cleaned every two years for lint. I also have one of those long lint brushes for the lint trap that I use about once/month.

Re: Smoke detectors

Abrowneyegirl — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 16:42:43 GMT

@Bri369

That gives me the chills, you certainly had an angel on your shoulder that day!

We have our dryer vents cleaned annually after my co-worker's fire and I am always amazed at what comes out. Esp. considering I clean the trap after each load and once during big loads. I also have the fuller brushes for dryer vents (excellent).

Once after I bought all new towels we had a burning smell as the new towel lint started to clog the tubing and burn. Electric dryer.

In our area (as I am sure many) there is no plastic accordion tubes/pipe allowed for dryer venting. Smooth metal only.

Re: Smoke detectors

Kachina624 — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 17:44:02 GMT

Why would you need a carbon monoxide detector in a room with electrical appliances?

Re: Smoke detectors

RedTop — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 18:02:57 GMT

No CM detectors in this house.

Re: Smoke detectors

Abrowneyegirl — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 21:29:38 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
Why would you need a carbon monoxide detector in a room with electrical appliances?

Correction- I misunderstood what I was told- I was talking monoxide my friend was talking moisture.

Carbon monoxide applies to gas appliances only.

I was more concerned about FIRE than CM. My co-worker lost her children and her new home due to a dryer fire, not CM.

Re: Smoke detectors

Abrowneyegirl — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 19:17:08 GMT

@RedTop wrote:
No CM detectors in this house.

Do you have a smoke detector in your laundry room?

Re: Smoke detectors

SilleeMee — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 21:03:43 GMT

FYI...even hard-wired smoke and CO detectors need replacing. Their lifespan is roughly 10 years. Many people think that just because they are hard-wired then they will last forever because they have no batteries...not true.

I have both smoke and CO detectors throughout my house. Mine are the 10-year battery operated ones. Toss and buy new at the end of 10 years. Easy and no worries about changing the batteries.

CO is a gas and it is heavier than air. It's best to place CO detectors low on a wall and not high up as you would place a smoke detector.

Electric appliances, such as dryers and stoves, do not produce CO gas.
Electric appliances are a fire risk. Only appliances that use natural gas, for example gas furnaces, gas fireplaces, gas water heaters, gas dryers, are a cause for risk of CO in your house.

Re: Smoke detectors

SilleeMee — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 21:06:37 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
Why would you need a carbon monoxide detector in a room with electrical appliances?

You don't. Just gas appliances are at risk for CO gas. Electric dryers are a fire risk.

Re: Smoke detectors

aubnwa01 — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 22:54:04 GMT

I don't have a smoke detector in my laundry room, but there is one above the door into it.

Re: Smoke detectors

RedTop — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 23:43:39 GMT

@Abrowneyegirl,

No, I do not have a smoke detector in my laundry room. We do have heat and smoke detectors in our home and garage, that are connected to our alarm system. They are extremely sensitive.

My dryer is on an outside wall of the house, and vents straight thru; we clean our dryer vent twice a year. I generally do laundry while I watch TV, and my recliner is 3 ft from my washer and dryer. I have never gone to bed, or left this house, with my dryer running.

Re: Smoke detectors

shoesnbags — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 00:25:10 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
Why would you need a carbon monoxide detector in a room with electrical appliances?

@Kachina624 Some people have gas dryers. Also the laundry room may be the location for a water heater, which could also be gas powered, as mine is.

Re: Smoke detectors

Kachina624 — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 01:36:42 GMT

@shoesnbags. So you wouldn't need one.

Re: Smoke detectors

qvcfreak — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 03:44:34 GMT

I do @Abrowneyegirl but my house is fairly new, 4 years. I believe they had to put one.

Re: Smoke detectors

shoesnbags — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 20:34:36 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@shoesnbags. So you wouldn't need one.

@Kachina624 Actually I do need one, because of my gas powered hot water heater. This thread has been a good reminder. 😯