Have you ever wondered how topics get chosen for our weekly columns? Well, often topics find their way to the front from a listener's phone calls, emails or texts. This week's topic is one of those from an email question.
Questions from listeners
Question 1:
A caller asked us about the location of their smoke detectors. They have high ceilings and can’t get on a ladder any longer to change out the batteries. She wanted to know if they could be lowered for better access to keep updated.
Smoke detector codes are set by local jurisdictions, be that county or municipality. Often, these code requirements will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Even adjacent jurisdictions can have different requirements. So, if you live on a municipal boundary, your requirements may be different than your neighbor's. It is always best to verify codes within your jurisdiction by calling the building department directly.
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Answer:
With that caveat in mind, Jared Wright of Harmony Security tells us that while ceiling-mounted smoke detectors are the best location, they can often be put on walls.
They should be placed at 12-18 inches down from the ceiling. This is because smoke, as it rises and moves naturally, curls at the junction of the wall and ceiling. This means that a smoke detector at the ceiling on a wall may not sense smoke until it’s too late.
Lowering the smoke detector to where you can reach it standing on the floor is not likely going to be allowed. It is also not in your best interest from a safety standpoint.
Question 2:
Another listener, Mary Ellen, sent a question via email, explaining that they remodeled their house about 14 years ago and had all the smoke detectors hard-wired.
The smoke detector near their kitchen constantly goes off. It is not their cooking, the oven is clean and they stay up on keeping filters clean. The unit is an ionic unit, and they want to know if they can replace the hard-wired smoke detector with a photoelectric one.
Wright was invited to visit the troubled homeowners to help troubleshoot the situation. Sure enough, Mary Ellen was ready with the toaster, and as soon as you could smell the toast, the fire alarm began to scream. The other seven smoke detectors in the house joined the chorus.
They have adjusted the way they prepare meals in hopes of keeping the alarms at bay, but it seems the units may be getting worse with time.
They want to keep their home up to the city’s code, so what are their choices?
This homeowner is constantly fanning the smoke detector as it goes off even when they make toast.
Answer:
Wright informed us that the life of any type of smoke detector is 10 years. Since the smoke detectors are now 15 years old, it is a good idea to replace them. The option for the couple are:
Replace the units with identical units. They would like to replace them with what they have, however, they are no longer made. The industry is not standardized, so any detectors they choose will need to have new clips installed to hold the unit in place. This can be costly.
Switch over to battery-operated units. The next choice would be to install battery-operated units. This is within code if they are chained together with radio frequency. These are not easily found, however, Wright recommends a photoelectric detector by X Sense.
Go with a security system. Jared points out that a monitored system is a good idea. This is a good option for homeowners and can be included with a whole-house security system. When an alarm goes off, it talks to a keypad in the home, turns off the HVAC unit and calls the fire department and homeowner.
Mary Ellen decided to replace all of the smoke detectors with battery-operated units chained together by radio frequency. They chose not to go with the monitored system. They will let us know the results once they have been replaced.
One dilemma they may still have is the placement of the detectors. Smoke detectors are not allowed in the kitchen or laundry room. Their detector is technically in the breakfast room, but it is part of the kitchen. They can’t move the unit as the wall it is on also serves as the detector for the laundry room.
The next step would be to get the city building codes involved to come up with a solution. It just can’t be the case that they have to live with the sound of eight alarms going off just for making toast!
More information
Evolution of smoke detectors
Let’s start with the two basic types of smoke detectors.
- Ionized. A small amount of radioactive material is placed in a chamber to ionize the air, creating a continuous electric current. When smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the electrical current, causing the alarm to sound.
- Photoelectric. This type utilizes light beams and sensors to detect smoke. When the light beams are interrupted, the alarm is triggered.
Power sources
- Battery-operated. Prior to the mid-1980s, batteries powered our smoke detectors. This made individual smoke detectors easy to install. The downside is changing the batteries on a regular (annual) basis does not always happen. When the power source fails, the alarm goes off. It’s not fun at 3 a.m. Many cities will allow battery-operated detectors if they are chained together with radio frequency so that when one of them goes off, they all do.
- Hard-wired. Most jurisdictions in Arizona now require hard-wired smoke alarms. This means the device is directly connected to your home's electrical wiring. They are more reliable than battery-operated units. Hard-wired alarms will have a battery backup as well.
- Smart smoke detectors. These work the same as normal smoke detectors using ionization or photoelectric detection systems. The difference is they connect to WiFi or Bluetooth. This allows detectors to communicate with you remotely, letting you know if there is an issue at home.
The value of a monitored security and smoke detectors system
One of the best solutions for fire safety is to have a monitored system. A regular smoke detector is of zero value if you are not home.
A monitored smoke detector connected to a security system will notify the fire department, should a fire break out. It will alert you as well.
When there is a fire, the HVAC system senses the house is hot and will turn on the A/C. The touchpad in the security system will signal the HVAC system to go off to keep the fire from spreading as quickly.
There is no question that smoke detectors save lives. Pay attention and perform periodic maintenance. Change your batteries regularly. Change your smoke detectors every 10 years.
Rosie on the House is a free homeowner resource. Listen to our broadcast every Saturday on KNST from 11 a.m. to noon. Ask questions at info@rosieonthehouse.com.
