Among Friends

[Group 5 minus 1]

We had to get new ones and place them lower so that I could reach them. We never thought of this,but it had to be done.

[Dragonflyveb]

I keep mine on a shelf, so I can reach them quickly when they start chirping at 3 a.m.!

why do smoke alarms NEVER chirp during the day?

[Nightowlz]

LOL!!! Nothing worse then a smoke alarm chirping in the middle of the night in the hotel. We called down to the front desk to tell them it was chirping they said they would see what they could do??? Called them back told them we were trying to sleep & if they could not fix it we could smash it. Finally someone came up to change the batteries.

They wanted us to move to a different room. I told them not happening at 3 AM.

[software]

Doesn't smoke go to the ceiling?

I've always been told to put a smoke alarm on the ceiling or a high spot on a wall.

Mine is on my ceiling.

I have regular ceilings, not vaulted.

[Mindy D]

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@software wrote:

Doesn't smoke go to the ceiling?

I've always been told to put a smoke alarm on the ceiling or a high spot on a wall.

Mine is on my ceiling.

I have regular ceilings, not vaulted.

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Yes, you are correct. Hot gases rise. 

[cookie16]

Smoke alarms are to be installed near the ceiling, not lower for convenience.  Smoke rises and by the time it would be detected at the lower height, it may be too late to get out.  Please install them where they need to be, and also be sure to have a carbon monoxide detector also.  Be sure to change your batteries when you change your clocks.

[Group 5 minus 1]

How do you reach them if you are unable to get on a ladder?

[VaBelle35]

I change my batteries twice a year, I don't wait for them to chirp because, as stated above, they never chirp during the day.  One time, they were chirping while I was out of town and I'm sure it annoyed my neighbors on both sides for however many days it was going off.

[NickNack]

I had wired smoke alarms for many years.   One of them started going off for no reason.  This happened several times, and I had them removed and bought ten year smoke alarms.  After ten years you just replace them.  I actually have it in my calendar to replace them in ten years.

[CAcableGirl2]

@NickNack  Funny you should mention the 10 year mark.  I have wired, but with batteries and sure enough, in the middle of the night they start chirping on the cathedral ceiling in the bedroom.  I guess the wiring is so that all will go off at the same time.

Stumbling out of bed, searching for the ladder, dragging it in the house, I just ripped it off the ceiling to shut it up, and replaced all 6 and was surprised to see that the life span is 10 years.  I climbed up on the tall ladder today (a little bit scary), but changed all of them.  Better to do it now instead of at 2 am again.