Smoke Detector / CO Detector questions

[kaylie]

1 - Would I be crazy to take out our land line adapter (we don't have one, never will) and put the CO detector in that spot? I just got them so I need a spot on each floor. That one happens to be perfectly between the fireplace and kitchen and it would be great to not muck up another area of the wall.

2 - Does anyone have "pretty" smoke detectors? I know, I'm an ass. At least I'm not spray painting them, though... Somehow the superficial part of me still knows that's wrong.

ETA - I meant CO!

[Susie]

1 - are you talking about a plug-into-an-outlet smoke/CO detector (carbon monoxide - it's just CO)? I would not take out the land line adaptor unless you have a good reason to. "Never"'s a long while to say you (or any subsequent owner) won't have a phone. Not wanting to "muck up" a wall with a detector wouldn't be that good reason for me. There are plenty of out of the way places you can tuck them. Also, are you talking gas or wood burning fire place? If gas, it's a good idea to have it near there, but if wood burning, CO's not really a concern. Ours is in the foyer, near the garage and above our gas furnace. You can't really see it, tucked in behind a coat rack.

2 - Uh, got nothin'. Who really ever looks at them? Not I.

[kaylie]

They're battery operated wall mount and yep, you got me. CO is the one. Duh. We have a wood burning fireplace, so I guess it isn't as huge an issue. Would the kitchen be a better location then?

[mrs.jacinthe]

Better looking smoke alarms: www.apartmenttherapy.com/style-without-compromising-safety-silhouette-smoke-alarm-from-kidde-164426



$16.07 on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Kidde-KN-SMFM-i-Silhouette-Hardwire-Profile/dp/B001ALYKIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352232232&sr=8-1&keywords=kidde+silhouette

[kaylie]

Alright, since AT posted on it I feel like less of an ass. Thanks Mrs. J!

[mrs.jacinthe]

No problem. I've had that detector pinned and on my amazon wishlist for a while. But since we rent in CA, our detectors have to be combo CO and smoke.

[kaylie]

I just ordered three. Yay! I'm working on our entryway and there's something about pretty white crown molding next to a giant off white smoke detector that just isn't doing it for me.

[FoxInFiji]

Yup we installed the Kiddie Silhouette smoke detectors throughout our house...threeacres.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/drywalln-in-the-house-tonight/. They look really nice but you have to make sure to line the round electrical box screw holes square with the walls or the square smoke detector with be at a funny angle like most of ours. They don't however have a smoke/CO combo in that style yet. ETA: That was already mentioned sorry I'm slow.

[kaylie]

Fox - do I have to turn off the circuit to install them? They have batteries, do I don't understand the point of the wires.

[FoxInFiji]

Nov 6, 2012 16:37:24 GMT -5 kaylie said:

Fox - do I have to turn off the circuit to install them? They have batteries, do I don't understand the point of the wires.

Yes you have to have the power off to connect them. They are hardwire smoke detectors with a battery back up. It's code in our area requires that you have to have this type and it's code for most other areas as well. They run off the direct power most of the time but when the power goes out it has battery back up so you're home is still being detected. I would suggest installing that type if you have to or not.

Also side note. All new smoke and CO detectors will need to be replaced every 7 years. They will start beeping uncontrollably when the time clock inside expires. Just like baby's car seats now have an expiration date. Same concept.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Nov 6, 2012 17:34:46 GMT -5 FoxInFiji said:

Also side note. All new smoke and CO detectors will need to be replaced every 7 years. They will start beeping uncontrollably when the time clock inside expires. Just like baby's car seats now have an expiration date. Same concept.

OMG! No kidding. Ours in the rental here starting doing this in July. Couldn't turn them off. Had to literally disconnect them from the ceiling and take the batteries out to make them shut up so that we could complete, you know, the rest of the night sleeping. Apparently the internal clock doesn't CARE if you're trying to sleep at 3am and there's no home places open.

[FoxInFiji]

Nov 6, 2012 17:38:18 GMT -5 mrs.jacinthe said:

Nov 6, 2012 17:34:46 GMT -5 FoxInFiji said:

Also side note. All new smoke and CO detectors will need to be replaced every 7 years. They will start beeping uncontrollably when the time clock inside expires. Just like baby's car seats now have an expiration date. Same concept.

OMG! No kidding. Ours in the rental here starting doing this in July. Couldn't turn them off. Had to literally disconnect them from the ceiling and take the batteries out to make them shut up so that we could complete, you know, the rest of the night sleeping. Apparently the internal clock doesn't CARE if you're trying to sleep at 3am and there's no home places open.

LOL yes this is why we kept the additional 3 smoke detectors unconnected for as long as possible (don't worry the original one in the hall was still on) so that we got a few more months out of them. The time clock starts as soon as you first power them up.

[kaylie]

Thanks Fox! I think the ones we have might be original to the house. They're hideous.

I'm pretty sure our current ones are all hardwired, but I guess I'll find out. I know the entry way one is since I yanked it out of the wall to paint around it =). I'm pretty sure my mom's are all battery only so I think that's what was confusing me.

[sarahbear]

Also, CO detectors should be placed low on a wall, not at the ceiling level. If CO ever reaches the ceiling level you'd be dead by that point. It needs to be low in the house in order to actually save you. Keep that in mind when installing it or going for a combo fire/CO detector.