Q. How often do I need to replace my hard-wired smoke detectors? And who should I hire to do this? Our 15-year-old system has five detectors. A few are chirping, and it doesn’t stop even when we replace the batteries.
A. Your detectors are overdue for replacement, according to the National Fire Protection Association, which recommends that you replace detectors when they’re 10 years old.
Top-rated security system experts we interviewed say that, over time, dust gathers inside smoke detectors, desensitizing the sensors. And even if a detector hasn’t reached the 10-year mark, replace it if it chirps after you’ve replaced the battery or if the alarm doesn’t sound when you perform the recommended monthly testing. Experts recommend replacing all connected detectors at the same time, even if some are working.
Smoke detectors are an essential part of a fire-prevention strategy, so you should replace yours as soon as possible. In a 2014 report, the NFPA said three of every five home-fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or with none that worked.
You can replace hard-wired detectors yourself, if you can reach them and if you have sufficient skill to replace a light fixture. (Be sure to first turn off electricity at the breaker box.) Otherwise, you can hire an electrician or an alarm service company to do the job.
The cost can vary widely, depending on where you live and on the type and number of units to be replaced, where they’re placed and the condition of the wires. Service providers we contacted charge a wide range of prices, from $35 to $40 per detector, plus a $50 for service charge, to $135 to $155 per detector.
Meanwhile, here are some NFPA safety tips:
• Install smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home, including the basement. (Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.)
• Interconnected smoke alarms – whether hardwired or wireless – are best because when one is activated, they all sound.
• Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Simply press the test button to be sure the alarm works.
• Ionization smoke alarms are quicker to warn of flaming fires. Photoelectric alarms are quicker to warn of smoldering fires. It’s best to use some of both types.
• A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Install wall-mounted alarms should no more than 12 inches from the ceiling to the top of the alarm.
• Don’t install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation. To reduce false alarms, keep alarms at least 10 feet from a stove.
• Make sure everyone in your home knows how to respond if they hear a smoke alarm.
• Follow manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning.
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Angie Hicks
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We get this call all the time. You begin to hear “beeping” from the smoke detectors in your home. Inevitably, you believe it is your security system that is setting off this event. We wanted to both clear this up, and provide you with some guidelines on when to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Below, on the left, is a picture of a smoke detector supplied by your electrical contractor. This type of detector requires a 9 volt, back up battery that must be replaced. It is this battery, when it begins to get low in power, to cause the smoke detector to beep to let you know it is time to replace the batteries. As an aside, most smoke detectors are tied together so that if there is a smoke event ALL detectors would sound as this is a life-safety event. That means that all of the sounders might sound when a battery starts to go low. Because of that, we always recommend to change EVERY smoke detector battery when you go to change one. Bite the bullet, bye 15 9 volt batteries and spend an hour on a ladder changing them all out. 🙂
On the right is a smoke / heat detector that we install. Because it’s back up battery resides at the alarm panel itself, there is NO back up battery at the physical detector. As such, this type of detector NEVER makes sound. Should it detect a smoke or heat event, the sound would come from the alarm siren.
It’s not just the batteries that need to be replaced
Smoke detectors have an expiration date and many currently in use have exceeded their full functionality as dust builds up over time, desensitizing the sensors. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends replacing smoke alarms every 10 years. The date of manufacture can be found on the back or side of the smoke alarm. Wired or wireless, all alarms should be replaced 10 years from that date and not the date of purchase or installation. Making sure they are in good working order is critical because, according to Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for NFPA, “Working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire in half.”
Interconnected smoke alarms offer an added measure of safety. Instead of just one sounding when smoke is detected, all units will be triggered, signaling every section of the home. When replacing an alarm within a connected system, experts recommend replacing all units within the system, even if some are still working. In addition, any alarm that continues to chirp after its batteries are swapped needs to be replaced, regardless of age.
Resolve to put safety first in the New Year!
If you’ve got any questions about home life-safety and security or are interested in updating your current system or integrating a new system into your home automation system, please give us a call. We wish you and your family a happy, healthy and safe 2018!
For more safety tips for your smart home, visit: //www.control4.com/blog/2016/12/5-easy-updates-for-a-safer-and-smarter-home-in-2017
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