Smoke detectors at home?

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k9kiwi

Staff Sergeant
839
25
Jul 2, 2006
Kiwi Land
As I am a Voli Fire Fighter, and recently witnessed an extremely close call for a family of four, I thought I would see how many of you have Smoke Detectors fitted to your houses.

A fire started in the lounge (TV or DVD player shorted), around 3.30 am. The house rapidly started filling with toxic smoke, heated by the building fire. Due to the open plan of the space the smoke spread was rapid.

Fortunately the detectors worked 100 % and woke the family members, who staying low managed to get out and raise the alarm from their neighbours house.

By the time we arrived, the lounge was 1/2 gone, fire had invaded the roof space, and the house was not a viable place for any human to live in, due to smoke and heat.

Most deaths at fires are caused by smoke right? Nope, remember that the heat from the fire builds in layers getting hotter towards the roof.

Also smoke is "Unburnt Particles", meaning at a set point of heat /smoke it will flash burn through the smoke at extreme temperatures, this is called roll over (looks pretty and easy to control with a hose, untill it gets to Flash Over, then you in the deep shyte, 600 Celcius + temps).

People can be asleep in their bed, be woken up by a noise, or something, smell the smoke, stand up and die.

They have just stood up into a thermal layer of 300 + degrees Celcius, and have burnt the lining in their throat, which immediately swells and closes, death is by burn asphyxiation, not from smoke.

So if any of you don't have smoke detectors, do your self a favour, get some.

And stop me and my mates have to drag your sorry fried carcass out of a building for no bloody reason (what we call "Crispy Critters").
 
4 + 1 in the garage (all working tested every week). My wife (whose a nurse) did a spell in the local burns unit so its more her inititive than mine.
 
6 brand new with batterys. Minus the one and my parents room. Of course if the smoke detectors go off the dog's will bark with out mercy. So you could say we have 9. :rolleyes:
 
Depending on the city you live in, in California, they are required when selling a home. The requirements vary from city to city though. The city where I live has a vague enough law that one in the entire house is enough. Not me, one in each childs bedroom, our bedroom and the living room.
 
Most Excellent Gentlemen.

It is heartening to see that people take on board a personal responsibility such as this.


Thank you, for looking after yours.

(PBFoot, get batteries ok.)
 
Kiwi what do you think of the ones that are plugged in between the light bulb socket and light bulb so drawning power from the lighting circuit are they worth using?
 
4 + CO and heat detectors in the garage wired up to the test circuit on an internal smoke alarm. Alarms in the garage are important. Typically fire friendly items are stored in the garage like gas, oil, cleaners, paint thinner, rags, etc.

Lanc, it doesn't sound good to have a smoke alarm on a lighting circuit. You lose power and protection when the light is off. Also, I am not in favor of smoke alarms powered by house power. An electrical fire may cause power to be lost.
 
The old lady has other uses for them and next you are going to tell me to wear a bicycle helmet wear my seatbelt don't smoke wear ear protection while mowing lawn etc etc etc I'm just a natural thrill seeker but I keep the Radon detector up and sevicable
 
Bike helmet, nah.... Seatbelt?? I know people who would be dead if they were wearing their seatbelt..... Smoking just means an earlier death... Ear protection while mowing?? I listen to my MP3 player whilst mowing the turf....

Thrill seeker cool... Harbringer of death bad.... Get new batteries and the 2 bucks may save u and ur families lives...
 
davparlr said:
...
Lanc, it doesn't sound good to have a smoke alarm on a lighting circuit. You lose power and protection when the light is off. Also, I am not in favor of smoke alarms powered by house power. An electrical fire may cause power to be lost.

It might even be against local fire codes to have a fire detection device on house power without a battery backup.
 
Lanc.

I agree with everyone elses comments, although if it had a rechargeable battery for power down scenarios and a test circuit for battery health, it could be ok, knind of expensive option though I would think.

Amortise the cheap battery power cost plus a new battery every 6 months for 5 years against the price of that widget.

PBFoot.

Helmets on push bikes? When I was growing up we just used our head.

Always wear a condom over your barrel when its wet. It stops rust. :D
 

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