Smoke Detectors 101 | Consumer Reports
Smoke Detectors 101 | Consumer Reports
Your life depends on a smoke detector actually detecting smoke. Consumer Reports’ expert explains what you need to know when purchasing these life-saving devices.
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Good topic. Cringe worthy video. Yikes!
“What if a fire happens right in front of your eyes” it’s not real until the smoke detector says so
Thank you!! So many people do not know there is a difference.
I’m humored that he went ahead and explained how photoelectric detectors detect smoke, but didn’t explain the ionization–otherwise he would have to mention the Radioactive Material!
All Smoke Detectors should have a PATH light. Lights saves lives.
Alarms don’t “go off”. They stay on to sound.
The ionization smoke alarm is notoriously unreliable & will allow you to DIE from smoke inhalation / CO poisoning (within the smoke). See Texas A & M 2.5 year study & The Fire That Changed Everything – And What Is Being Done About It… Also Boston Deputy Fire Chief Jay Fleming – his work & research. Examples of this are endless. Want the newest technology? See: UL Releases New Requirements to Smoke Alarm Standards. Should be rated for UL 217, 8th edition & 268, 7th edition. If you want it monitored, recommend an REAL alarm panel with smoke detectors (System Sensor) hardwired & supervised with at least 24 hour backup power. Then you don’t have run around with a ladder, changing dinky 9 volt bats & have higher quality detectors = more reliable. A compatible maintenance module can be connected between the alarm panel & smoke detectors & will alert when they need cleaning. This professional grade equipment’s available online. Residential fire alarm systems, when maintained, are more reliable than retail smoke alarms. Also using a 520 Hz sounder in bedrooms is recommended. The end, please clap.
Good information, pretty much vital information, definitely a must share video.
thanks for the review.
I’d expect Bernie to have no less than 10 detectors in his house
Yes, this may indeed be a smoke detector but it has many purposes example: in our house hold, it tells us when dinner is ready!
Anyone ran into a scenario where the beeping is coming from the ceiling and not the detector itself? I replaced my detector with a new one hoping it stops the 5 beeps but to no avail. Anyone?
Great information… but dang ya’ll made this totally corny.
This reminds me of the SmartPipe infomercial
P
Thanks for top!
When will they make a hard-wired smokie that charges the battery so you don’t have to replace it as often?
Fire 🔥: “The rapid oxidation of a combustible material, releasing energy in the form of light and heat”
Stop with the humor, it’s cringey and not even funny.
Party on
*Fire extinguisher entered the chat*
He reminds me of Keegan-Michael Key, even sometimes acts like him.
Also it helps to keep bugs away from it
Not a good test when the source is right below the detectors. Try again.
aloha, please pass along to whomever is the poindexterEinstein at first alert….. all smoke detectors and co2 combo’s need a remote control switch at light switch level in the house. Like the garage door openers have the switch w wires to open and close. This way nobody has to climb a ladder or chair to push a button. HELLO>… WTF.. duh… There should be no need to touch the unit itself, especially if they are gonna wire these together for 2 or more.
Make a remote to have an "all off button" and a "Silence button" and the "Test Button" on a panel next to it or somewhere lower so nobody has to climb up the vaulted ceilings at midnight, and so after you find there’s no fire, you can go back to bed and deal with it the next day.
Trying to get up from sleep bc the damn thing goes off and dealing with it groggy or medicated on a chair or ladder is more liability than the fire or CO2. Do I have to think of everything…. sweet dreams…Jesus H C people think already
Smoke detectors have over a 35% chance of failure. Store bought CO goes off at 400 ppm, and the lethal amount starts at 150 ppm
"It’s a dangerous test" – I can’t take seriously any advice from people that think lighting 10 sheets of paper is ‘get out of the room’ dangerous. Home owners buy smoke detectors, not 8 year olds.
His name is burn…e.
I used to have CO/Smoke Detector units in my house — one of the many false CO detections brought my local Fire Dept to my house and they said combo units are the WORST so we have separate units now. Oh, and don’t forget that Ionization fire detectors MUST BE REPLACED every 10 years (the radioactive isotope has a shelf life)!
We used to have a General Electric Home Sentry smoke alarm and I hated the sound it made
Dear bosses, I am a supplier of home security products. We have alarms and intelligent linkage products. You can contact me if you need it.
In truth, there are two types of photoelectric, one, that uses smoke blocking light shining at a sensor, and the other, which reflects light onto a sensor. Then the ionization uses radioactive material to ionize a chamber of air, allowing a tiny electric current to pass. Once smoke enters it, it disrupts the current flow, thus triggering the alarm.
In the end regardless of local laws it doesn’t really matter how you setup your alarm|(s) as long as they are functional during a fire that’s what counts and you at least have 1 that sounds they’ll be happy when you sell or need fire insurance.
Two detectors: dual sensor and carbon monoxide. Gotcha!
Burny
What about the main power unit where there is a stop and start red button at the very base somewhere?
Need to become a member and pay (minimum) $10 each month to get any research Consumer Report Information. Sad shadow of greed. I pass.
I would be happy if they quit going off for false alarms and then the annoying chirps in the middle of the night when the batteries are low. I think they are programmed to only chirp between 2 and 4am. Then you have the pleasure of replacing them and testing them. They are rarely easy to get to. They do not turn off easily. Frankly, lots of people end up disabling them completely because they are so damned obnoxious. Also they go off at extreme and unnecessary decibels. I live in a condo so the condo units have a second set of alarms in addition to the individual units and they go off regularly. They can make you deaf.
i do not have any smoke detectors and very happy
I wish they made more detectors that used AA batteries. I also wish they had some with adjustable volume. Not all of us are deaf or need our hearing damaged from false alarms.
Very safe units to use.
The acting… Jesus, take the wheel.
Are they loud enough?
Dual Sensor: KIDDE PI-9010.
They don’t mention big issues with fire alarms.
They will beep obnoxiously when the battery is low, but do nothing else. This can make figuring out which one has a low battery very difficult.
They are often placed in high places, and getting the plastic battery doors to open is difficult, so replacing batteries is a nuisance.
Wired systems can alarm,without any way of turning them off, if there is a short circuit/water damage. You have to pull their fuse.
Often, with wired systems, all the units need to be replaced together or the units will not function properly.