smoke alarms - how can we live with them ?

[masterblaster]

Hey guys.
l did a search and nothing came up but we really need to do something about our smoke alarms .
We're down to one placed up the hall so it's well away from kitchen and about 5 mtrs from bathroom.
Bathroom steam or the slightest bit of kitchen smoke or tiny wiffs of smoke from the lounge fireplace, around and through into the hall still set it off none stop.
We're down to just that one in the hall now and l hate having to do it but even that's disconnected most of the time .
ls there a nack , spot to put them , a certain sort that work better or something we can do ?
l really want to have these things but they've driven us nuts .

Cheers. MB

[mic-d]

You should try switching to the other type of smoke alarm called photoelectric. You probably have the ionisation alarm. Photoelectric are a bit more expensive but are good where you're getting a lot of nuisance alarms.

Cheers
Michael

[silentC]

Depends on the layout of your house. We have three - one outside each group of bedroom doors. The one outside our main bedroom has gone off a couple of times when something in the kitchen has produced a bit of smoke.

You really need them right outside your bedroom door. Ours are all interconnected so that if one goes off, they all do.

[masterblaster]

Thanks for that , l'll find that brand and give them a go.
You'd think our place would be good because the kitchen and lounge are down one end , then a long hall with bedrooms ,then bathroom at the other end.
But as soon as you come out of the bathroom off it goes even though it's 5 mtrs down hall . There's about 5 mtr's each end .
l'd really prefer to have one down at the kitchen/lounge end to but nothings been livable so far .

Cheers
MB

[thatirwinfella]

stupid question, but have you checked/changed the batteries, they often play up when the batteries are about to go.

[peter_sm]

If you sleep with your bedroom door closed, you should have one in each and every bedroom, and if you sleep in the lounge on the couch, one there too. They will go off before your room becomes dangerously on fire, giving you time to jump out the window, or get down low and go go go.

They are to wake you up.

[Stuart]

Bunnings have a whole range of good ones. Both ionising and photoelectric. Some with a guiding light, others that have a 10 year battery (this is something Choice recommends). I just got a cheap one for a bedroom, but would go with the more expensive photoelectric model if it was in proximity to a bathroom or kitchen. Some are coupled together, so when one goes off, they all do - this is a great idea btw.

Remember wherever you place it, think of how it is going to get activated. For example, if it is near a ceiling vent, (such as from an evap cooling system), then the airflow could prevent the sensor picking up smoke. If it is mounted on a wall, then the smoke will take time to build up at the ceiling and fill the room from the top down until it meets the sensor. If the sensor is on a ceiling, and the fire is in the next room, the smoke will fill that room, before spilling through the doorway.

Obviously smoke will get sideways and may set off the alarm earlier, but you need to think of worst case scenario when choosing locations for, and numbers of sensors.

[martrix]

do you have a good rangehood above the cooktop that is effectively venting outside(not into the roof cavity)?
Is your bathroom exhaust fan also working effectively and venting outside?

[Gumby]

I'm getting a silent one. It's a privacy thing. I don't want my neighbours to think I have a fire. It's none of their business.

[Eddie Jones]

I'm getting a silent one. It's a privacy thing. I don't want my neighbours to think I have a fire. It's none of their business.

Ah, then you need Acme modification N0. 69. Disconnect it from the mains and take the battery out! This also has the side benefit of making it portable.

[DavidG]

I have one, in the family area, which covers both ionization and photoelectric.
You can disable it for 15 min by pointing the TV remote at it and pressing the Vol control. No need to climb up to get at it.
Cost a heap ($80 ish I think)

Got the standard cheapo ones in each bedroom.
All get a new battery as a Xmas present each year and will be replaced at 10 years.

[Ashore]

If you mount then on the wall as close to the celing as possible they wont go off at every wiff of smoke but will cut down the reaction time if you do have a fire, so put propper celing mounted ones in your sleeping arears and if you are having probs in other areas try the wall mount a 1- 5 minute delay in sounding of alarms will occure however if this is only at the detectors adjacent to the kitchen and bathroom then the problim may be somewhat isolated.
Note this will stop the problem but is advice contary to the safety advice issued by the fire fighting service and should not be followed unless you have adiquate devices fitted in an approved manner at each sleeping area etc etc.