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1. My smoke alarm goes off a lot. What is wrong with it?

• Clean the unit with a vacuum cleaner.  Dust particles can and often do set off false alarms.
• The unit may need to be relocated.  It could be too close to the kitchen, bathroom, heat register or it could be defective and need to be replaced.  Consult the installation instructions.
• Smoke detectors can become more sensitive with age.  They do have a useful service life.  In no case should a smoke detector be used for more than 10 years.

2. My smoke alarm beeps. What is wrong with it?

 The problem is usually a weak or improper battery.  Replace with a fresh battery as recommended by the manufacturer.

3. Are any smoke alarms not recommended?

Smoke detector recall – 120,000 purchased units are affected

Six brands of battery-operated smoke detectors are being recalled because they may not sound in the event of a fire.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging anyone who purchased a battery-operated smoke detector on or after July 10, 1992, to check the unit immediately to see if it is involved in this recall.  The brands and models affected are:

Firm	Brand	Model	Date Code
Black & Decker	Slim Line	SMK100, SMK200, SMK300	9228 to 9246
Jameson Home Products Inc.	Code 1 2000	Model A, C & D	92192 to 92231
Walter Kidde Portable Equipment.	Kidde Smoke	KSA700	92192 to 92231
Fire Alarm			92192 to 92231
Safety First	Baby’s Room	244	92192 to 92231
Smoke & Fire Alarm
Funtech	Safety’s Sake	Model A	92192 to 92231
Maple Chase	Firex	Model A & B	92192 to 92231

To identify an affected detector, examine the label on the back of the unit for the model and date codes listed above. The aforementioned is courtesy of NFPA Fire News – Feb./Mar. 1993, Issue 793.

3.5 million smoke detectors were recalled. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of 3.5 million smoke detectors whose alarms may fail to sound in a fire. The electrically powered smoke detectors, manufactured from October 1987 to March 1990 by BRK Electronics of Aurora, Ill., were marketed under the brand names of BRK, First Alert, and Family Gard.  None of the company’s battery-operated detectors are being recalled, the commission said. The commission said BRK had not received any reports of incidents or injuries associated with alarm failure.  The commission warned that, because the detectors are wired into a building’s electrical system, consumers should not attempt to remove or replace a recalled detector before speaking to a BRK representative.

4. What kind of smoke alarm should I buy?

 The Fire Department cannot recommend specific manufacturers.  We do recommend that electrical smoke alarms (hard wired) and any battery-operated smoke alarms be U.L. Listed.

5. Where should I install the smoke alarm?

In Newly Constructed Homes (Single Family)

Smoke detectors are required on every story of the dwelling unit including the basement.  They are to be installed in approved locations and hardwired, interconnected in conformance with the electrical code.  NFPA Number 70 and be provided with a battery backup power source.  Location of detectors should be:

• In the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, not more than ten (10) feet away from the bedroom exit
• Detectors are also required within all bedrooms;
• In each story within the dwelling unit, including the basement.
• Note:  (One in bi-level without an intervening door can cover both floors as long as it is less than one full story).

Watch dead air spaces, i.e., 4-foot by 4-foot ceiling/wall corners; Sidewall mounting allowed advise 9 feet dead center from the ceiling; Kitchens and bathrooms cause nuisance alarms.  Manufacturers’ specs call for a five (5) foot clearance or the use of a photoelectric unit is warranted.  (If one is a photo, then all units are unless listed with U.L. as compatible).

Nuisance Alarm Control:  Some smoke detectors – manufacturers provide a model with a “hush” feature, which momentarily switches to a reduced sensitivity condition.  This reduction in sensitivity allows annoying and unwanted alarms to be silenced for approximately fifteen (15) minutes.  It is required that a copy of the manufacturer’s specs (user’s manual) for the installation of smoke detectors be left at the construction site.  Complete information on replacement maintenance and operation is explained within this manual.

Existing Homes with Battery Operated Units (Single Family)

Smoke detectors are required on each level of the premises and outside of each separate sleeping area as a minimum.

For complete coverage in a residential unit, smoke detectors can be installed in every room, in hallways, storage areas, and the basement.

However, we suggest that you:

• Put a smoke detector in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, not more than ten (10) feet away from the bedroom exit doors.
• Two detectors are required in homes with two-bedroom areas.
• Put a smoke detector on every floor of a multi-floor home.
• Put a smoke detector inside every bedroom.
• Put a smoke detector inside every room where someone sleeps with the door partly or completely closed.  Smoke could be blocked by the closed door.  Also, a hallway alarm may not wake up the sleeper if the door is closed.
• Put smoke detectors at both ends of the bedroom hallway if the hallway is more than 40 feet (12 meters) long.
• Put basement detectors at the bottom of the basement stairwell.
• Put second-floor detectors at the top of the first-to-second floor stairwell.  He sure no door or other obstruction blocks the path of smoke to the detector.
• Put detector as close to the center of the ceiling when ceiling mounted.  If this is not practical, but the detector on the ceiling, no closer than 4 inches from any wall or corner.
• If ceiling mounted is not possible and wall mounting is permitted, put wall-mounted detectors between 7 and 9 inches from the ceiling.
• Some rooms have sloped, peaked, or gabled ceilings.  If yours do, mount detectors 3 feet measured horizontally from the highest point of the ceiling.
• For added safety, some companies now market a dual-chambered model which combines an ionization type and a photoelectric type smoke detector.  It’s like having two detectors at once.

6. my landlord refuses to install a smoke alarm in my apartment. Who is responsible?

The landlord is responsible.

Battery operated smoke detectors may be installed within the tenant space in most multiple dwellings provided they are maintained, tested and inspected as follows:

• The owner of the building or his representative shall inspect each detector whenever a change of occupant occurs; and
• The owner of the building or his representative shall clean the detector and/or replace the batteries as necessary, but at least once a year, to assure proper operation.
• It is generally accepted that the owner will supply batteries as needed to the tenants.

As a tenant, you should test the smoke detectors regularly and report any malfunctions to the owner.