topic Re: New Smoke Detectors in Home

New Smoke Detectors

Seannie — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 23:05:28 GMT

Hi All,

Any brand name suggestions for new battery-operated smoke detectors for our primary residence and a small second home in another state? We will probably buy 6 total.

Particularly want to avoid models that go off randomly and have false alarms as don't wish to irritate neighbors when we are not present at either location.

TIA, Seannie

Re: New Smoke Detectors

SteelerFaninMD — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 23:09:20 GMT

I replaced all the units, included one combo smoke/CO detector with the Kidde brand, recommended by 3 different electricians. I got the newer ones that have a 10yr sealed in battery. So, you don't need to replace batteries, just the unit itself every 10yrs. Apparently the older model devices have a life-expectancy of 10yrs.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

NicksmomESQ — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 23:11:26 GMT

@Seannie You can't go wrong with Kidde or First Alert. I just had new smoke detectors put in my home. One was hard wired with a 10 year battery backup. The other was a regular one with a 10 year battery.

Having one with a 10 year battery is more convenient IMO. After about ten years you replace the whole unit.In between you don't have to change the batteries every 6 months.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

SilleeMee — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 23:31:10 GMT

I have the kind with a 10-year battery, (First Alert) you never need to change the battery and you throw the whole thing away after 10 years.

Just so you know all smoke detectors, hard-wired included (those are not permanent), need to be replaced after 10 years. The technology within them is only good for that long.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

Kachina624 — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 23:59:50 GMT

My guess is there are Federal standards which they all must meet making them all about the same.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

FlyersGirl — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 00:08:22 GMT

@SteelerFaninMD wrote:
I replaced all the units, included one combo smoke/CO detector with the Kidde brand, recommended by 3 different electricians. I got the newer ones that have a 10yr sealed in battery. So, you don't need to replace batteries, just the unit itself every 10yrs. Apparently the older model devices have a life-expectancy of 10yrs.

These are what I have. So happy that I don't have to replace batteries every year.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

stevieb — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 00:53:57 GMT

I don't want anything with a battery you can't access or without a shut off switch. Some of them are too sensitive and one way or another I want to be able to turn the thing off without resorting to a battering ram...

Re: New Smoke Detectors

VaBelle35 — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 01:26:30 GMT

I have First Alert Smoke/Co2 Combos. Mine are wired together because I live in a townhouse, so if the basement one goes off after about 5 seconds the other 2 go off as well.

The newer ones are better at determining the difference between cooking and a real fire. My main level one is near my kitchen and my old one would go off at least once a week, just from the toaster alone.

This new one goes off probably once a year.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

BirkiLady — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 14:32:06 GMT

@stevieb As the owner of a 4-plex that was completely destroyed in a massive fire at 6:00 AM, removing the battery or turning it off completely eliminates the reasons for having fire alarms. You are breaking the law.

The potential for injury and death (not to mention loss of property) is very high and very expensive. Fortunately, all of our tenants were able to evacuate the building safely (in their nightclothes). However, they lost all personal possessions and their vehicles, which were inside the attached garages. I had insisted they all carry renter's insurance, which wasn't enough for them to begin again and gave each renter $1,000 out of my pocket so they could find other places to live.

Then, I had the expenses of paying the City for the water used to fight the fire, the ambulances for the tenants, the destruction of the brick building and removal of the debris, filling in the hole left, and the expense of designing and rebuilding a 6-plex. All after the First Inspector took their time to inspect it thoroughly with me and my insurance agent. You have no idea what a horror, fear, expense, chaotic and lengthy process it was.

Please don't ever disconnect your fire alarm!

Re: New Smoke Detectors

stevieb — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 15:35:59 GMT

@BirkiLady You had a dreadful and very sad experience. Fortunately or unfortunately, as the case may be, I don't own a 4plex. I do, however, live in a condo and as far as I'm concerned, condo management does an inadequate job of ensuring residents have functional smoke detectors, though they are vigilant about those in the common areas. That said, as with many multiple unit dwellings, some units have alarms installed in the most ridiculous areas meaning that any hint of cooking smoke sets them off. If newer or better alarms are less sensitive to cooking smoke that's wonderful but unfortunately not everyone has them... When smoke detectors go off, they're loud and intrusive and when they go off for reasons other than a fire, they do need to be silenced, however temporarily. No one wants to sit and listen to their own or a neighbor's alarm to go off until the smoke clears naturally because someone burnt the toast...

Re: New Smoke Detectors

Sooner — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 14:59:20 GMT

Do not ever ever ever live somewhere without a carbon monoxide detector. Ever. Never go without one. They only last a few years before you need to replace them.

But it is something you will NOT know is a problem. If a storm knocks loose a vent, new system is installed improperly, if you have a roof replaced, you can die. Without ANY warning.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

BirkiLady — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 17:43:37 GMT

@stevieb Open a window or fan the smoke detector with a magazine for a minute! Living in a condo is too dangerous to be disconnecting the battery EVER. You are putting too many lives at danger.

There is a reason those alarms are loud. They have to be heard over TV's, laundry machines, cooking appliances, family noises, street noises, etc., to save lives and time. If you lived in one of my buildings, it wouldn't be for long. I don't tolerate residents who put others' lives in danger or disconnect permanent fixtures.

Better yet, stop burning the toast!

If you don't like the current smoke detectors, they are inexpensive. Buy one you like and have it replaced. Such a simple solution which ensures all other residents complete safety. I do hope you have Renter's Insurance, as well, for your own protection. You could be held responsible for the entire cost of a fire and/or injuries or lawsuits.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

Snoopp — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 17:59:36 GMT

I replaced all of mine with Kidde brand. They are by code, hard wired. These have not had a single false alarm yet (like from cooking). I do try to open a door and window if something is burning before it goes off.

Oh, I did have one false alarm. It was a piece of dust after I had a room painted that must have gotten into the alarm. Nothing else after that.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

aubnwa01 — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 03:21:11 GMT

I had the 6 hard wired traditional w/battery back-up smoke alarms in my home replaced 5 years ago, so I don't need to worry about it for another 5 years. My local fire dept did the replacement, I just bought a contractor's pack of 6 new smoke alarms of the same brand & size off of Amazon & called them, & they came & did it for me. I also have them come once a year to change the batteries (I buy a pkg of 9V batteries at Costco) for me, since 3 of my smoke alarms are too high for me to reach, even if I stood on the very tippy top of my 6 ft. ladder, since I have vaulted ceilings.

I just learned something yesterday morning that I wasn't aware of. I was taking a shower & all of a sudden, I could hear something in the house that did 5 loud beeps & stopped & a minute later, it did it again & just kept it up. Once I got out of the shower & dried a bit, I could tell it was something in my great room, but there's 2 smoke alarms in there & a carbon monoxide detector. It's a large room with tile floors & vaulted ceilings & it's tough to tell where sounds are coming from, since with all the hard surfaces, sounds tend to bounce around. I stood in front of both smoke alarms until the 5 beeps happened again & that left the co2 detector, but it wasn't flashing & the battery had just been replaced last month, Sure enough, though it was co2 detector that was making the sound, so I looked at the little display on it & it said END in it. I unplugged it from the wall & turned it over & on the back it said:

END: End Of Life-Replace Alarm

On the back, it said it was manufactured in 2013 (it was a First Alert brand), so I don't know if they have them programmed to only last a certain amount of time or if something in it had malfunctioned. It had never gone off before. I replaced it with a Kidde brand yesterday.

Re: New Smoke Detectors

Seannie — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 21:17:28 GMT

Thanks to you all. Learned a great deal and I appreciate each response.

Seannie

Re: New Smoke Detectors

wagirl — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:29:02 GMT

Got all new models that flash, with sirens and even talk---they are built in and are the latest per code. also have carbon monoxide detectors in them too