Smoke Detectors

[Markbnj]

Someone please explain the insanity of these devices to me. My wife buys one from First Alert that detects "smoke" and carbon monoxide. It has a voice alert that actually says "Fire!" or "Carbon Monoxide!" because that apparently will be more alarming. It goes off when the kids make toast, or think about making toast, or heat up milk for hot chocolate, or wave their hands vigorously. We have an actual fire in the dryer, because some lint piles up near the pilot. The smoke/monoxide/cooking detector does not go off. Turn on stove. It goes off. Now it is sitting in a corner of the counter with the batteries out.

Why do I own these things?

 

[highland145]

Turn on stove. It goes off.

You need a better cook. Problem solved.

 

[Drako]

Sounds like you need to clean your cooking appliances :biggrin:

 

[sixone]

Try a better location. Like just outside the kitchen door.

I have one that used to go off every time I switched on the hallway light. I moved it a couple of feet away from the light, and it hasn't gone off since.

 

[Markbnj]

Try a better location. Like just outside the kitchen door.

I have one that used to go off every time I switched on the hallway light. I moved it a couple of feet away from the light, and it hasn't gone off since.

Yeah maybe we just shouldn't have the damn thing in the kitchen.

 

[sixone]

Yeah maybe we just shouldn't have the damn thing in the kitchen.

I don't have one in my kitchen, either.

 

[Mark R]

Yeah maybe we just shouldn't have the damn thing in the kitchen.

Smoke detectors are not suitable for use in kitchens (or bathrooms), as they are set-off by cooking fumes, steam, etc.

If fire detection equipment is required in a kitchen it should be a temperature sensor or rate of temperature rise sensor, rather than a smoke detector.

Smoke detectors are suitable for use in other rooms, such as hallways, bedrooms, living rooms, etc. There is little difference in performance between optical and ionization technologies.

 

[BoomerD]

You need a better cook. Problem solved.

You mean you're not supposed to use the smoke detector as an oven timer? :hmm:

 

[highland145]

You mean you're not supposed to use the smoke detector as an oven timer? :hmm:

Only for popcorn in the microwave.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Someone please explain the insanity of these devices to me. My wife buys one from First Alert that detects "smoke" and carbon monoxide. It has a voice alert that actually says "Fire!" or "Carbon Monoxide!" because that apparently will be more alarming. It goes off when the kids make toast, or think about making toast, or heat up milk for hot chocolate, or wave their hands vigorously. We have an actual fire in the dryer, because some lint piles up near the pilot. The smoke/monoxide/cooking detector does not go off. Turn on stove. It goes off. Now it is sitting in a corner of the counter with the batteries out.

Why do I own these things?

You put it in the kitchen? LOL!! That is a sure way to make it go off. Hallway where smoke would collect, another one in your laundry room for sure since you don't clean the lint. One near your furnace and water heater that are probably not too clean either.

 

[Markbnj]

You put it in the kitchen? LOL!! That is a sure way to make it go off. Hallway where smoke would collect, another one in your laundry room for sure since you don't clean the lint. One near your furnace and water heater that are probably not too clean either.

It was installed there when we bought the house, and one of the neighbors now tells me it's code here to have one in the kitchen. /shrug. Going to move it tomorrow.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yeah maybe we just shouldn't have the damn thing in the kitchen.

Ya think? Code here says you must have one in each bedroom and in the hallway on each level (I made those two CO/smoke detectors). We do not have a smoke detector in the kitchen or anywhere near the kitchen for that matter.

Our furnace and water heater are in the garage so no need for one in there.

 

[FirNaTine]

Smoke detectors are not suitable for use in kitchens (or bathrooms), as they are set-off by cooking fumes, steam, etc.

If fire detection equipment is required in a kitchen it should be a temperature sensor or rate of temperature rise sensor, rather than a smoke detector.

Smoke detectors are suitable for use in other rooms, such as hallways, bedrooms, living rooms, etc. There is little difference in performance between optical and ionization technologies.

Pretty much this. It is actually recommended to NOT install residential smoke detectors in a kitchen area specifically because of nuisance alarms, unless they are specifically approved for use in proximity to cooking devices (page 6 references in the below document references NFPA 72 section 29.8.3.4)

Nuisance alarms lead to systems being disabled... Sound familiar?

For info on nuisance testing see http://mips.umd.edu/docs/reports/4707_USI_Milke_Report_final.pdf
U of MD by the way is one of a handful of universities that offer actual BS degrees specifically in Fire Protection Engineering.

I would take a look at whatever your local code setting agency (city/county/state) actually provides in writing. The number of people I have met that THINK they know what the code requires is astounding. It is possible they have that requirement, but it seems strange to me.

Maryland has a statewide requirement that adopts NFPA 72. (NFPA 74 which was specific to houses was rolled into NFPA 72 in 1989)

Code compliance is generally fixed at whatever was in place at the time of construction (or major renovation.) So in MD the requirements depend on when the house was constructed. They did retroactively require all dwellings to come up to the 1975 level of at least having a smoke detector though.

Montgomery County hosts the gist of NFPA 72 as adopted by the state (Art 38A sec 12A of the MD State Code) at http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/frs-safe/resources/laws/alarms.asp

I will say without a doubt, smoke detectors save lives. Please find a way to get a working system back in your house.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I was testing my smoke alarm once, and decided I should do a real world test. So I started burning stuff inside a pop can which I put holes in for air. Had a pretty good fire going, and I was starting to feel kinda weird for having what was now a portable camp fire, inside my house. FINALLY the damn thing goes off and I get the call from my alarm company. Took 3 days to get rid of the smoke smell lmao. next time I will test using one of those smoke cans. Or just put it right up against it.

I've been wanting to try finding smoke detectors that have NC relays though, as I want to hook a whole bunch of them up to my monitoring system. Basically one in each room. I only have the one that is monitored (and it's expensive to get more added), the rest are just standard. Minimum code will save your life, but wont save your house. Monitored smoke detectors will.

 

[Markbnj]

Pretty much this. It is actually recommended to NOT install residential smoke detectors in a kitchen area specifically because of nuisance alarms, unless they are specifically approved for use in proximity to cooking devices (page 6 references in the below document references NFPA 72 section 29.8.3.4)

Nuisance alarms lead to systems being disabled... Sound familiar?

For info on nuisance testing see http://mips.umd.edu/docs/reports/4707_USI_Milke_Report_final.pdf
U of MD by the way is one of a handful of universities that offer actual BS degrees specifically in Fire Protection Engineering.

I would take a look at whatever your local code setting agency (city/county/state) actually provides in writing. The number of people I have met that THINK they know what the code requires is astounding. It is possible they have that requirement, but it seems strange to me.

Maryland has a statewide requirement that adopts NFPA 72. (NFPA 74 which was specific to houses was rolled into NFPA 72 in 1989)

Code compliance is generally fixed at whatever was in place at the time of construction (or major renovation.) So in MD the requirements depend on when the house was constructed. They did retroactively require all dwellings to come up to the 1975 level of at least having a smoke detector though.

Montgomery County hosts the gist of NFPA 72 as adopted by the state (Art 38A sec 12A of the MD State Code) at http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/frs-safe/resources/laws/alarms.asp

I will say without a doubt, smoke detectors save lives. Please find a way to get a working system back in your house.

All good advice. We do still have a unit in the front hall and one in the upstairs hall. I'm going to move the kitchen unit into the back hall and I think we'll be good.