Question about smoke alarms

[motv8tr]

Ok, I have two smoke alarms, one by the front door, and the other down the hall in front of the two bedrooms and bathroom. They seem to go off sometimes when I stoke the fire a little too much and don't turn it down in time. There is no smoke but the air is warmer up near the cieling. I also get a slight odor, which I cannot identify, but again, no smoke, no fire all seems normal other than the higher level of heat near the cieleng, but it's not all that hot.

 

Any thoughts on this? I always thought only smoke would set them off, are they affected by heat as well? One came with the house, the second I bought last year, both have new batteries.

 

Maureen

[irishfield]

Open your door slower when you go to reload...and check your door seal when it's cool. Piece of paper shouldn't pull out too easily all around the door seal. You're putting smoke in the house Maureen whether you see it or not.

Edited December 4, 2007 by irishfield

[Bernie]

Open your door slower when you go to reload...and check your door seal when it's cool. Piece of paper shouldn't pull out too easily all around the door seal. You're putting smoke in the house Maureen whether you see it or not.

 

Yep, Wayne has it right.

 

Our alarm always seems to go off at suppertime. Karen seems to like things well done

[motv8tr]

Open your door slower when you go to reload...and check your door seal when it's cool. Piece of paper shouldn't pull out too easily all around the door seal. You're putting smoke in the house Maureen whether you see it or not.

 

 

Ok, I'll check the seal, it doesn't happen when I'm loading, just when I've stoked it too much and it has a good flame going...before I turn it down

[Pigeontroller]

Don't we have a retired FireFighter here?!

 

Try opening a basement window a crack...Might need alittle more air coming in the house, a well sealed house with good windows can cause the fireplace to not draft well.

[Roy]

Yup, smoke alarms detect suspended particles (visible or invisible) in the air. These particles need not necessarily be smoke particles either. There are two basic types of smoke detectors, ionization and photo-electric. Most folks use ionization...it's the most common detector. They both serve the same purpose using different detection methods. Both detection methods are effective as long as they are UL/ULC rated. The inonization unit uses a minute amount of a radioactive substance (age prevents me from remembering the name of the substance) that keeps the air in the chamber conductive between the negative and positive posts powered by the battery. When suspended particles enter the chamber, the current drop between the posts causes an alarm.

The photo-electric acts in much the same way except it uses a light emitting diode (LED). It sends a light signal to what looks like a 'T' thingie and when particles enter the detector, it scatters the light, causing an alarm.

Not only smoke will trip smoke detectors...dust will as well.

 

Keep the batteries new and all should be good. Wayne has the right idea on why the detector is tripping. BTW, if the detector is 10 years old or more, replace it.

[Bernie]

Yup, smoke alarms detect suspended particles (visible or invisible) in the air. These particles need not necessarily be smoke particles either. There are two basic types of smoke detectors, ionization and photo-electric. Most folks use ionization...it's the most common detector. They both serve the same purpose using different detection methods. Both detection methods are effective as long as they are UL/ULC rated. The inonization unit uses a minute amount of a radioactive substance (age prevents me from remembering the name of the substance) that keeps the air in the chamber conductive between the negative and positive posts powered by the battery. When suspended particles enter the chamber, the current drop between the posts causes an alarm.

The photo-electric acts in much the same way except it uses a light emitting diode (LED). It sends a light signal to what looks like a 'T' thingie and when particles enter the detector, it scatters the light, causing an alarm.

Not only smoke will trip smoke detectors...dust will as well.

 

Keep the batteries new and all should be good. Wayne has the right idea on why the detector is tripping. BTW, if the detector is 10 years old or more, replace it.

 

Wow Roy! You are more than just a pretty face Well explained.

[JohnF]

Yep, Wayne has it right.

 

Our alarm always seems to go off at suppertime. Karen seems to like things well done

 

My Mom's always sounds off just as the turkey is cooked perfectly. She's convinced it's a defective alarm which just coincidentally always goes off at the same time.

 

JF

[Baldy]

Roy got it pretty much bang on.

'Products of Combustion' (POC's) are what usually trigger the detector into alarm, carbon based particles produced by heating or overheating an object. Dust, as Roy mentioned, will set of the alarm devices as well but dust is harder on photoelectric detectors.

High humidity or condensation will cause these detectors to fault into alarm as well.

Photoelectric detectors are similar to a photoeye with the LED light beam blocked to the receiver in the chamber, POC's etc. will refract the light beam to the receiver causing an alarm. These types of detectors are generally cleanable in the optic chamber.

It is best if you can get 120V interconnected detectors although in an older home it can be quite a job, however if you plan any remodelling in the future it would be advisable to do this. That way if one detector faults into alarm then they all will sound.

[lew]

And don't forget Mo, now that your gonna heat your garage for the pooches, you'll want a detector out there too.

[misfish]

Yep, Wayne has it right.

 

Our alarm always seems to go off at suppertime. Karen seems to like things well done

 

Thanks for the chuckle.

[hawkeye]

My wife treats me like a God, burnt offerings and that sets the alarms off.

 

Roy had it right about the batteries, but I have also heard that these things have a life and you sould replace them every so many years I think it was 8 years, but someone else may know better