Remember fire safety when you go on vacation

jimmyjames8

jimmyjames8

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2017
Messages
4,982
Location
Wake Co.
Rating - 100%
41   0   0
At the beach this week and smoke detector in rental house starting chirping every now and then. This sort of thing always happens to me. I unscrewed the detector from its base on the wall and was going to look for a battery in owners junk drawer when I noticed the build date of Jan 2004 and a warning to replace in 10 years so this detector was 5 years out of date. There was another detector in another hall way and it was older than the first. I reported this to rental agency who said they could not replace on their own until contacting owner to authorize the expense. ??? They are literally playing with fire. I worked for an electrical and electronics manufacturer at one time. They made smoke detectors along with a million other things. The product mgr for smoke detectors traveled with his own personal smoke detector. Not a bad idea considering:

From the NFPA:

  • Smoke alarms provide an early warning of a fire, giving people additional time to escape.
  • Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a reported home fire in half.
  • Almost three in every five home-fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (40%) or no working smoke alarms (17%).
  • When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected, or dead. Dead batteries caused one-quarter (25%)of the smoke alarm failures.
Be safe out there folks!
 
The owner needs to authorize the expense? They’re 2 for $10 at Lowe’s!

Must be their $500 service call that needs authorization. :(
 
Hello owner,

One of the renters reported an out of date smoke alarm, and now that it has been reported you are in a personally actionable position if anything happens. Do I have your permission to address the concern?
 
Sounds serious yet nothing in the statistic you quoted mentioned out of date detectors and you didn’t say if the ones in your rental were woring or not working. Is there a way to tell beyond pressing the TEST buttton? I guess I could burn toast but that doesn’t seem sciency enough.
 
As I understand it, there is no test a consumer can perform to verify that the detector actually alarms when smoke is present. The “button” only tests that the batteries or line power will activate the alarm (i.e., make noise). I have tested smoke detectors and was supplied with an aerosol spray which simulates smoke particles in the air. That’s how the sensor can actually be tested.

After 10 years, the sensor is no longer reliable. Check your smoke alarms. If they’re 9+ years old...PITCH THEM NOW!
 
Catfish said:
Sounds serious yet nothing in the statistic you quoted mentioned out of date detectors and you didn’t say if the ones in your rental were woring or not working. Is there a way to tell beyond pressing the TEST buttton? I guess I could burn toast but that doesn’t seem sciency enough.
Click to expand...

I’d go with the toast unless you enjoy cigars.
 
I bring several flashlights and a roll of duct tape, should you have to remain in the room, the tape will seal up the door and any
A/C vents. Fill the tub with water.
 
Catfish said:
Sounds serious yet nothing in the statistic you quoted mentioned out of date detectors and you didn’t say if the ones in your rental were woring or not working. Is there a way to tell beyond pressing the TEST buttton? I guess I could burn toast but that doesn’t seem sciency enough.
Click to expand...

The one 5 yrs out of date would not quit chirping even with a new battery so it's useless. I would not depend on it to save my life anyway as it was 5 yrs past mfr recommendation for replacement. The other older one would test good but again way out of date. Not betting my life on it. I think test buttons just verify battery is good and that the horn works. We used to test commercial building systems with cold smoke (canned smoke) and smoke bombs specifically made for fire alarm testing by lighting and tossing in 35gallon drums.
 
See posts #6 and 9. ;)
 
Last edited:
Jeppo said:
As I understand it, there is no test a consumer can perform to verify that the detector actually alarms when smoke is present. The “button” only tests that the batteries or line power will activate the alarm (i.e., make noise). I have tested smoke detectors and was supplied with an aerosol spray which simulates smoke particles in the air. That’s how the sensor can actually be tested.

After 10 years, the sensor is no longer reliable. Check your smoke alarms. If they’re 9+ years old...PITCH THEM NOW!
Click to expand...

I have a way to test. Make toast and then leave it in a minute too long.
 
I never thought I’d be the rebel in this group, I don’t check the dates on smoke detectors in vacation homes.

Did notice last week that the fire extinguisher at my condo is 10 years out of date, going to replace it next week.
 
Button Pusher said:
If you are in a high rise building you may not be able to leave safely out a window.
Click to expand...

I seriously doubt that there are THAT many of us in a high rise on any given day. But if you are ASK about emergency exit procedures.
The one thing LJ and I both travel with is a combo smoke/CO2 detector, small, portable and was less than 40.00 on the net....
 
Button Pusher said:
I bring several flashlights and a roll of duct tape, should you have to remain in the room, the tape will seal up the door and any
A/C vents. Fill the tub with water.
Click to expand...
Don't forget the rope and gloves. Oh, wrong thread.
 
Last edited:
JimB said:
I never thought I’d be the rebel in this group, I don’t check the dates on smoke detectors in vacation homes.

Did notice last week that the fire extinguisher at my condo is 10 years out of date, going to replace it next week.
Click to expand...

I would not have given it a first or second thought until this one started chirping and when I pulled it down noticed it was 5 yrs out of date and then I looked at the other one in the house and it was older than the fisrt one. I'm with Bailey Boat, I'm buying a CO2/smoke detector for travel. It will be right at home next to my Surefire light and travel gat.
 
Invoking regulation seems contrary to the libertarian bent of most here.

Not knocking anyone specifically, just pointing out that it’s easy to want regulation for something you want.
 
JimB said:
Invoking regulation seems contrary to the libertarian bent of most here.

Not knocking anyone specifically, just pointing out that it’s easy to want regulation for something you want.
Click to expand...

True Dat!
 
Button Pusher said:
Even better, call the TV station. :)
Click to expand...
Ah hell, you might as well scream some sort of discrimination and relate how it triggered you and you can't sleep now and demand some sort of reparation for your suffering.
 
Jeppo said:
As I understand it, there is no test a consumer can perform to verify that the detector actually alarms when smoke is present. The “button” only tests that the batteries or line power will activate the alarm (i.e., make noise). I have tested smoke detectors and was supplied with an aerosol spray which simulates smoke particles in the air. That’s how the sensor can actually be tested.

After 10 years, the sensor is no longer reliable. Check your smoke alarms. If they’re 9+ years old...PITCH THEM NOW!
Click to expand...


We test ours every time I cook in that old iron skillet so it can be done!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom