Can you recommend a smoke detector system?

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TheBeachHouse

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Ours went off this morning advising all to "evacuate! evacuate!" There was no smoke. We suspect they detected moisture in the air because it is finally raining after months of drought.
Not ok.
Advice?
 
How old is it? Is is a whole house or just one? Have you checked batteries or is it on your power supply? Have you cleaned it lately there may be a build up of dust or grease..depending where it is.
If more than 10 years old, I would replace them.
 
How old is it? Is is a whole house or just one? Have you checked batteries or is it on your power supply? Have you cleaned it lately there may be a build up of dust or grease..depending where it is.
If more than 10 years old, I would replace them..
batteries are brand new. all clean and there is a chit ton of them. All yelling at each other!
 
Not all smoke is visible or if they also detect carbon monoxide no odor there, odd that multiple units would cry at the same time. Several years ago we had a monitored system installed, pricy, but peace of mind. Did have a couple of times that it was triggered by a steamy shower and had to move a detection unit.
 
trouble is its not smoke they work on its density of particles in the air ie can be set of by water vaper, deoderant, etc - you can get ones that just do heat but I don't know the brands
 
It's possible they talk to each other so if one goes off, for whatever reason, it sets off the one closest to it and on and on.
Can't help with a system, ours is 30 years old and hard wired.
 
A few years ago, our insurance company required us to install inter-connected hard-wired smoke detectors in all of our cottages, instead of just independent battery-powered units. It's been a real problem since, and we are still searching for a solution. Two of the cottages in particular seem more prone to being set off by fog in the middle of the night than the others, so we've tried replacing the ionization-type detectors in those cottages with photocell-type detectors which are supposed to be less prone to being falsely set off, but we are not sure it has helped. I don't recall the stand-alone battery-powered detectors being so sensitive.
Of course we also have kitchens in all of our cottages, so the detectors are often being set off by people cooking, too....
 
Not all smoke is visible or if they also detect carbon monoxide no odor there, odd that multiple units would cry at the same time. Several years ago we had a monitored system installed, pricy, but peace of mind. Did have a couple of times that it was triggered by a steamy shower and had to move a detection unit..
An interconnected system is the current standard, with the result that if one unit is triggered, all of the other units in the whole building go off, too. In one of our cottages, that is eight (one in each of the 6 bedrooms, plus one in each of the adjoining spaces).
 
We learned this week because we had two that kept emitting 5 chirps and wouldn't stop even with new batteries, that modern smoke detectors "expire," and they have programming in their chips that they will start chirping after 10 years to let you know they have to be replaced.
 
It's possible they talk to each other so if one goes off, for whatever reason, it sets off the one closest to it and on and on.
Can't help with a system, ours is 30 years old and hard wired..
The smoke detectors may only be rated for 10 years, so your insurance company may want you to replace them if they haven't been done recently. I believe that the new state law on carbon monoxide detectors requires that the CO detectors be replaced at least every 10 years. Since we had smoke detectors without CO in most of the cottages (since most of the cottages do not have any fossil-fuel heating appliances), we went with 10-year lithium battery powered stand-alone CO detectors....
 
Three times yesterday we had visits from the Police Dept. Our phone had dialed 911 and they were checking it out. He said (first one) that sometimes that happens if water gets in the line - it was raining. I called it in to the phone company - we will send someone tomorrow. Afternoon - visit #2. I go to call phone company again.Dial tone, dial, nothing happens. No Internet either. Use cell phone to call it in - again get told tomorrow. I said I have no phone service (not mentioning business as have a residential line) and I have a man here with medical problems. She asked what and I listed she put us on medical priority list BUT not until tomorrow.
She DID mention cordless saying sometimes they generate problems. So after I hang up, I go into the kitchen and unplug the base in there (forgetting the BASE is on my desk) and plug in the "wired" phone we used for power failures. Dial tone, dial my cell and it works. Reverse and try with the cordless - it works. Reboot modem and the Internet is back. Left the call as is. Glad I did. 10 PM last night - not again! Yep. This time, this cop suggested an alt number Dispatch could call to check. Gave him my cell and too it to bed last night.
By 8:15 repair was here. It was messed up outside but he showed 2 shorts inside. The filter on the line was bad (replaced). He left me with no service while he checked things out at the building up the street (where all the circuits are). I saw his truck a bit later and it was gone again so checked - nothing. About 15 min later he called to check the line and said there were several things messed up but all is well now - he was calling to check the line.
Hoping 911 does not hear from us again - ever.
 
We learned this week because we had two that kept emitting 5 chirps and wouldn't stop even with new batteries, that modern smoke detectors "expire," and they have programming in their chips that they will start chirping after 10 years to let you know they have to be replaced..
I have one upstairs that will chirp once - silence for about 5 minutes - chirp once. Then nothing until weeks later it will repeat whatever game it is playing with me. Cannot find which room it is in. Replaced ALL batteries and it just does its thing - thankfully in the afternoon and when we have NO guests.
 
Can I call someone? An electrician? Or is it a specialty?.
Two types of systems.
Electrician would install individual units that can be interconnected and have individual battery backup
Alarm company would install a central panel with battery backup and smoke, heat, or security sensors depending on the location (smoke in bedroom, heat in kitchen for example), here that system requires a dedicated telephone line, system is monitored (monthly fee) and monitor company will dispatch fire department even if you are not at home to hear the alarm
 
Can I call someone? An electrician? Or is it a specialty?.
Two types of systems.
Electrician would install individual units that can be interconnected and have individual battery backup
Alarm company would install a central panel with battery backup and smoke, heat, or security sensors depending on the location (smoke in bedroom, heat in kitchen for example), here that system requires a dedicated telephone line, system is monitored (monthly fee) and monitor company will dispatch fire department even if you are not at home to hear the alarm
.
Ours is directly connected to a fire dept call box. If the klaxon goes off, the fire dept is called directly. If just the panel alarm goes off (power outages do this) then the fire dept is not notified. If there is a drop in the pressure going to the sprinkler system (indicating one of the sprinkler heads is operating) the fire dept gets called directly.
 
Can I call someone? An electrician? Or is it a specialty?.
Two types of systems.
Electrician would install individual units that can be interconnected and have individual battery backup
Alarm company would install a central panel with battery backup and smoke, heat, or security sensors depending on the location (smoke in bedroom, heat in kitchen for example), here that system requires a dedicated telephone line, system is monitored (monthly fee) and monitor company will dispatch fire department even if you are not at home to hear the alarm
.
Ours is directly connected to a fire dept call box. If the klaxon goes off, the fire dept is called directly. If just the panel alarm goes off (power outages do this) then the fire dept is not notified. If there is a drop in the pressure going to the sprinkler system (indicating one of the sprinkler heads is operating) the fire dept gets called directly.
.
what is a klaxon and what is a panel alarm.
who installed it for you?
 
Can I call someone? An electrician? Or is it a specialty?.
Two types of systems.
Electrician would install individual units that can be interconnected and have individual battery backup
Alarm company would install a central panel with battery backup and smoke, heat, or security sensors depending on the location (smoke in bedroom, heat in kitchen for example), here that system requires a dedicated telephone line, system is monitored (monthly fee) and monitor company will dispatch fire department even if you are not at home to hear the alarm
.
Ours is directly connected to a fire dept call box. If the klaxon goes off, the fire dept is called directly. If just the panel alarm goes off (power outages do this) then the fire dept is not notified. If there is a drop in the pressure going to the sprinkler system (indicating one of the sprinkler heads is operating) the fire dept gets called directly.
.
what is a klaxon and what is a panel alarm.
who installed it for you?
.
Klazon is a sort of round plastic thing which is hard wired into your alarm system - we have them in various places in the building - massive siren noise comes out.
Fire panel is a sort of box of electrical stuff in our system each room has a unit which is then wired to the panel which also shows zones ie rooms 1 and 2 flash up on the panel as zone 1 so we know which room has set it off to go and check - also its where you turn the ruddy thing off! - email me if you would like photo's
 
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