Smoke Detectors

[Kevnool (Kev)]

I was out at a remote camp when at 4.30 in the morn when 1 faulty alarm went off and since there all connected as one they were all chirping, So without delay i gave the approval to have them all replaced.

Everyone was shirty about being woken up but when they were all replaced that day they were all happy.

So do yourself a favour protect yourself and your family as winter is upon us check your alarms and replace your battery if there not hard wired.

Safety First.. ..Cheers Kev.

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

Good advice Kev. For the small cost of them now its priceless insurance.

Bill

[kinetic (Steve)]

Originally Posted by Kevnool

I was out at a remote camp when at 4.30 in the morn when 1 faulty alarm went off and since there all connected as one they were all chirping, So without delay i gave the approval to have them all replaced.

Everyone was shirty about being woken up but when they were all replaced that day they were all happy.

So do yourself a favour protect yourself and your family as winter is upon us check your alarms and replace your battery if there not hard wired.

Safety First.. ..Cheers Kev.

One downside to non-hardwired smokeys on remote sites Kev
is that residents of the units tend to take out the 9v battery and
smoke inside or use it in their walkman etc etc.
More recent transportables have hard wired ones but they can still
open em up.
If caught doing it they are on the first plane home never to return.

Steve

[Dennis]

In our house, we change the batteries annually, on 1st April as it is an easy to remember date in the calendar.

Cheers

Dennis

[acropolite (Phil)]

Good advice Kev, I installed a fire alarm in a ski chalet over 30 years ago, to date it has saved the building and it's occupants twice after fires accidentally started.

[Ric]

In NSW smoke detectors are compulsory in all houses now.

Not sure about the legislation in other states though.

Cheers

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Actually, I just took the battery out of ours at the weekend. Although it is in the hallway, the (invisible) smoke from the oven kept triggering it off all afternoon while my wife was cooking a roast. After fanning it for an hour (on and off) I got sick of it and took the battery out.

I think a lot of people also take them out because of false triggering. It would be very handy if they had a toggle switch on the side so you can turn it off in these cases by hitting with a broom handle, and knock it back on when you are finished cooking. Or maybe a one hour disable switch, just hit it with the broom.

[BerrieK]

Trevor you can get smoke detectors specifically for the kitchen areas - I think that these are photoelectric rather than ionisation in their detection mechanism and are hence less prone to false triggers.

But I know what you mean - our toaster, or even boiling the kettle used to set off the alarm in the kitchen until we changed to a kitchen-specific detector.

Kerrie

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Thanks for the info Kerrie.
I'll look into to that.
Our smoke detector is hanging open in the hallway right now because we're sick of false alarms.

[acropolite (Phil)]

I seem to remember that the recommended place for installation of detectors is bedrooms, mine are in all the bedrooms, hard wired, with battery backup, not a single false alarm in 7 years.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

My home ones are all battery not hard wired, even one in the roof above the suspended ceiling , trying everything to protect my son.
Hopefully they,ll never go off.

Cheers Kev.

[stevoggo (Stephen)]

Hi all,
Being VERY new to astronomy I rarely contribute, however being a Firey i can add something here.
Firstly, I agree, they are cheap and batteries are cheaper so have one and keep changing the batteries.
Secondly oneofone there are alarms which you can hit the button with a broom handle and they will silence for 15 minutes before reactivating, they are available at Bunnings for about $20 You can also get kitchen specific alarms as Kerrie rightly said. (though I think they are considerably more expensive.
Thirdly if it keeps going off move it, it is better working in the hallway than in the kitchen with no batteries. you can also place it on the wall a little way down from the ceiling so that it doesn't go off immediately, the smoke has to build a little first.
I have only been in the job 5 years but I can recount many incidents of smoke alarms saving lifes, including one episode where a young boys electric blanket caught fire on the top bunk, being so close to the roof he was quickly overcome by smoke and was unconcious in the burning bed, his brother smelt the smoke and saved his life. The dad was in tears as he had 3 smoke alarms in boxes in the garage which he hadn't got around to putting up.
Fourthly check your electric blankets....
Best wishes to all
Smoke alarms save lives....
Steve

[Chillie (Henry)]

Originally Posted by stevoggo

I have only been in the job 5 years but I can recount many incidents of smoke alarms saving lifes, including one episode where a young boys electric blanket caught fire on the top bunk, being so close to the roof he was quickly overcome by smoke and was unconcious in the burning bed, his brother smelt the smoke and saved his life. The dad was in tears as he had 3 smoke alarms in boxes in the garage which he hadn't got around to putting up.
Fourthly check your electric blankets....
Best wishes to all
Smoke alarms save lives....
Steve

Hi Steve,

I've just installed an electric blanket (last night) and I'm thinking about putting a smoke detector in my bedroom. I have one in the hall way.

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

I have to go to Bunnings at the weekend, I will check out the smoke detectors with a switch. Ours is in the hallway between the kitchen and bedrooms but the smoke still seems to waft up the hall, I guess it is good exercise fanning the detector...but you quickly tire of it . If we put detectors in the bedrooms, I am afraid the one in the daughters room would keep going off from all the fumes created in there...and I don't just mean smoking either. You have to hold your breath before entering...teenagers!

[PCH (Paul)]

I'm a bit confused.

What is it you guys cook that generates so much smoke? Aren't you supposed to cook your food only to the point where it's cooked and take it out of the oven before it gets to the 'so burnt it's generating enough smoke to set the alarms off' stage.

Just a thought

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Actually, at the weekend, there was no visible smoke at all but the alarm kept going off...and of course there was no breeze so we couldn't open the front door to push the "smoke" away from the detector

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Originally Posted by PCH

I'm a bit confused.

What is it you guys cook that generates so much smoke? Aren't you supposed to cook your food only to the point where it's cooked and take it out of the oven before it gets to the 'so burnt it's generating enough smoke to set the alarms off' stage.

Just a thought

Toast .......slightly burn it and whoofo of they go.
At least i know they are workin .

Cheers Kev.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by PCH

I'm a bit confused.

What is it you guys cook that generates so much smoke?

water

[snowyskiesau]

I have an investment/retirement property in country NSW. The managing agent has the batteries changed when daylight savings starts/stops i.e. twice a year. Only costs me a few dollars and well worth it.

I had more trouble trying to get advise as to where to install them so they were affective but not prone to false alarms. I did call the local fire brigade and ask it they could help but all they could do was to give the same generic advice that the alarm manufacturer supplies.
I'd happily pay to have someone spend 10 minutes telling me the best place to install alarms. Sound like a good opportunity for country brigades to raise some much needed cash.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

The firey's here in the hill will come around and install for the aged so they dont have to climb up a ladder,Which i reckon is a winner in my books.

Cheers Kev.