Question of the Day - Monday, August 2, 2021

MoochNNoodles

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Happy August! We are one month closer to Autum/Spring! :jive: I'm not in ANY kind of hurry to see winter; but I am looking forward to spending some time outside without it being so hot.

The other day I was woken up right after DH left for work with the smoke detector battery chirping in my bedroom. That evening DH decided to check all the smoke detectors again and he discovered the one in DS's bedroom wasn't working at all! :eek2: They are all hard-wired with a battery backup and "communicate" with each other should one go off. We also have one that is linked to our home security system. But still! Yikes!! Needless to say; we replaced that one the next day! After thinking about it; our house is 12 years old now and they recommend replacing your smoke detectors every 10 years. So I guess now I see why!



When was the last time you checked your smoke detectors? How about carbon monoxide?




One of my fireman-friends always says to check your smoke detectors when the time changes. DH usually takes care of all that sort of thing so I'm not sure exactly when he last checked on ours but it had to be within the last few months. He keeps a task list with reminders going on his phone for things like that. We do not have any gas appliances or heat to need a carbon monoxide detector here.

The year we bought our house my Dad got basically everyone in the family new smoke and CO detectors. Natural gas is the most common heating source in his area; so it's really a good, practical gift. Fortunatley our house was brand new so we were set. :)

The year before last DH was talking to his elderly father on the phone and kept hearing his smoke detector chirp in the background. FIL was aparently ignorning it just fine; but DH sent him batteries via Amazon that night. I almost couldn't make the chirp stop fast enough so I don't know how FIL was dealing with that! :crazy:
 

Winchester

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We are due for a new smoke alarm in the kitchen and in the hallway to the bedroom. A few weeks ago, it was so hot and humid that our smoke alarms started to ring! Next time we hit Lowes, we're getting new ones. They're on the Lowes list.

We don't have to worry about carbon monoxide.

As for the heat, MoochNNoodles MoochNNoodles , I never thought I'd say this, but I have to agree with you. When I was working in the front yard on Saturday, I was thinking how much nicer it would be if it wasn't so blasted hot with the sun beating down. I am looking forward to more fall-like temps, so that I can be outside more comfortably.
 

verna davies

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I don't check mine, they have a flashing light to show they are working but I will check them just in case. Good QOD to highlight this.
 

neely

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One of my fireman-friends always says to check your smoke detectors when the time changes.
I've heard this for as long as we've been in our house so that's our policy too. However, I wouldn't be surprised if our smoke alarms need to be replaced since they're either 10 yrs. old or older.
 

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MoochNNoodles

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The new detectors don't have replaceable batteries, and will start chirping when they "expire" (some at 7 years, some at 10).
Kidde 10 Year Worry-Free Sealed Battery Smoke Detector with Ionization Sensor (6-Pack)-21029885-6 - The Home Depot

(Hmm, I have one that's good for 7 years, but I can only find the 10-year ones now, maybe the batteries got better in the last few years.)

I intend to test mine monthly but I haven't done it in awhile. Good reminder!
The one I got has a replaceable battery. I didn't really notice any without the option at Lowes.
When I burn the toast. :lol:
Seriously, very regularly...
I just hope that doesn't mean you burn the toast once a month. :lol2:
I don't check mine, they have a flashing light to show they are working but I will check them just in case. Good QOD to highlight this.
Ours do have a little light; but I doubt DS pays any attention. I should ask DH if he noticed it was flashing or not. He did have to read the instructions to figure out how to make the new one sync with the others. I really like that feature.

My cousin's husband is also a fireman and she was with a volunteer fire department for a few years herself. They are strict about fire safety and having GOOD extinguishers around (I know he doesn't recommend the one that came with our house). They've never visited me here; but I still feel like I can't get away with anything. Not that I'd want to. He sees too much. Know what I mean? My elementary BFF lost her house to a fire right before we met too. That one was arson from a neighborhood kid and they weren't home; but still.
 

MonaLyssa33

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I haven't tested them since I moved in March 2020. 😬 I've been reluctant to do it because Remy is traumatized from our time living in a studio apartment where the smoke detector would go off every time I cooked unless I opened all the windows and had fans going.
 

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We check them, and usually replace the batteries with the time changes (spring and fall). We also recently got a new CO/smoke detector when it started screaming at us a few months ago...it was about 7-8 years old.
We also have a fire extinguisher in our kitchen as well as a small one we usually bring camping. My brother in law is a trained military firefighter, he checked them a few years back and said they were in good shape. I actually had proper training on how to use a fire extinguisher when I was in Girl Guides and I have my CPR and First aid training (mandatory being a health care professional).
I have also thought about what to do and how to escape our home in the event of a fire...including how we would save our kitties...there's no way in hell I would leave them.
I'd like to think I'm well prepared in the event of any emergency...and would be able to keep my head should something bad happened.

My grandmother lost her sister in a house fire, and I was almost a victim of an apartment fire...My boyfriend at the time, a friend and me were staying with another friend for a weekend. When we all got up, he went to get something from the store, I went to take a shower and my boyfriend and buddy decided to make breakfast. The morons left the bacon cooking on the stove and decided to go out for a smoke and of course the bacon and grease caught and we were mere minutes from the kitchen catching. The range hood fan was scorched and there was so much smoke. The smoke damage on the ceiling was atrocious...just all black. I was oblivious as like I said I was in the shower. When I stepped out, I could smell the smoke and holy crap...when I opened the door it was awful! They came back into the house and put out the fire before it spread...but had they been out there longer...I don't know what would have happened to me.

I take fire safety pretty seriously....
 

MonaLyssa33

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I haven't tested them since I moved in March 2020. 😬 I've been reluctant to do it because Remy is traumatized from our time living in a studio apartment where the smoke detector would go off every time I cooked unless I opened all the windows and had fans going.
So this post made me check my smoke detectors and the basement one didn't even have batteries. :eek: I'll be stopping by the store to get a couple new detectors and also some batteries. I figure having more detectors wouldn't be a bad thing.
 
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MoochNNoodles

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So this post made me check my smoke detectors and the basement one didn't even have batteries. :eek: I'll be stopping by the store to get a couple new detectors and also some batteries. I figure having more detectors wouldn't be a bad thing.
Wow I'm glad you caught that!
 

DownTheLane

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I don't think we have any smoke detectors, which might be for the better given how I cook 😂
I still lovet at home, so trust my parents to keep track of things
 
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