How to reach very high smoke detectors?

[Smokey_the_bare]

We have cathedral ceilings. According to smoke detector guides, detectors must be located on the ceiling and not further than 1500mm from the peak. While I'm still able to get the ladder and climb up and just reach a detector, my spouse is not able to do that. If I'm not home and a false alarm goes off, my spouse has to just let it continue to sound. The house is open plan lounge room and kitchen, so if a detector is going off in the lounge room all my spouse can do is leave the area and go to a bedroom and close the door until I get back home, which could be several hours.

These are battery powered photoelectric smoke detectors.

It's also not fun, nor really safe, if an alarm goes off at 3 am and I have to climb up high on a ladder while still drowsy.

Is there a solution?

Is it okay to locate smoke detectors on walls just below the lowest part of a peaked ceiling? If so, my spouse would be able to access them.

(See further below for edit)

Thanks.

PS. My spouse has said that hitting the damn thing off the ceiling with a broom is a solution, but I'm not keen on that idea.

EDIT:

I've just been reading up on smoke detectors at https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/prepare/fire/smoke-alarms/existing-properties

and according to that, " Where practicable smoke alarms must be placed on the ceiling." So, in our circumstances it's certainly not practicable and therefore those smoke detectors will soon be relocated to more practicable locations on walls.

While reading that webpage I noticed that as from 1st Jan 2027, "All existing private homes, townhouses and units will require photoelectric interconnected smoke alarms. These must be either a hardwired (eg. 240v) or non-removable 10 year battery powered type alarm." Re the 240 volt detectors, they have non-removable 10 year battery backup otherwise what good are they in a power outage.

With regard to "non-removable 10 year battery powered type alarm", how do you turn them off? The only way to stop the current detectors is to remove the battery. In my experience the hush button seldom works. Do the non removable battery detectors have an off switch or do you have to smash the bees with a hammer, drown them in a bucket of water, then bury them 6 feet deep to shut them up. Kind of like the "Friends" episode where Phoebe had a smoke alarm that wouldn't quit. And if you can't shut them up, how do you make a claim under warranty. You can't very well return them to place of purchase. I don't think Bunnings would appreciate customers coming into the store with smoke detectors blaring. Nor could you very well send them to the local distributor via the post.

Here's the answer:

The third leading cause of heart attacks in the United States is smoke alarms going off a 3:27 am

If the reset button doesn't do the trick, take the alarm down and remove the batteries. If your smoke detector has a long-life lithium battery that can't be removed, wrap it in a blanket or stick it in the freezer until it stops beeping.

Source = https://www.calltoptech.com/smoke-detector-going-off-for-no-reason/

URL Scanned with VirusTotal.com =

No security vendors flagged this URL as malicious

https://www.calltoptech.com/smoke-detector-going-off-for-no-reason/

www.calltoptech.com

Over the years I've had to chuck several alarms that were still under warranty. It was too much hassle to make a claim. Plus, if you have to return them via post, you pay for postage and packaging. If the maker/distributor elects to grant your claim you may get a refurbished replacement, or parts from used alarms used to repair your alarm. You won't get a new 10 year warranty either, probably just what's left on the original alarm. 

Also, the government can't possibly enforce those laws. I doubt the government would require mandatory inspection of every property, with residents having to pay a fee for inspections. We don't live in a police State yet. Imagine any State government in the USA trying to enforce that law. Sure, it makes sense to comply for your own welfare, but there will be many people who won't, and some who can't afford to install new smoke alarms as per the regulations. Will charitable organization step in and assist those people? Or will the State government provide some rebate for people with concession cards. There are a lot of senior citizens on the pension who own their own homes but they're living quite frugally. Coming up with several hundred dollars for perhaps 8 to 10 new detectors will be impossible.

One last thought. In the event of a fire, if a person has failed to comply with the new regulations, perhaps their insurance company could refuse to pay compensation. I would think that some insurance companies would make a policy clause that might read something like, "All government regulations with regard to smoke detectors must be complied with. If policy holders have failed to comply their claim may be refused." Makes sense. Some people may not know this, but most home and content policy claims can and will be refused if it is found by fire authorities that a fire has been caused by faulty electrical installation work done by anyone other than a fully qualified electrician. So, if you happen to install a replacement light switch or power outlet unit and you aren't qualified, and a fire results from that installation and can be proven by the fire inspector, forget about making a claim.

Try to be happy campers everyone. Be prepared for that ear drum busting chirping that awakens you at 3 am on a cold morning, especially if you happen to have a bit of a hangover.

Cheers all.

[EricL]

Hello @Smokey_the_bare

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about fire alarms.

One of the things that photoelectric fire alarms are sensitive to is moisture. If enough moisture gathers in your ceiling and causes it to condensate on the fire alarm sensor it will set it off. They also react to temperature changes causing them to activate as well. We use to have a cardboard panel that we would use to fan the smoke alarm until it stabilized, these days we use an Ozito blower to dry off any moisture on the alarm sensor. 

If there is one thing that I've noticed about new smoke alarms they require more cleaning and are much more sensitive to contaminants compared to the old models. The smoke alarm update for 2027 I believe will be self-enforcing due to the fact that if you don't have an updated smoke alarm system you might not be covered by your insurance.

I suggest the following:

• When buying a new photoelectric smoke alarm see if you can buy it as a bundle so that you will have no issues with smoke alarm communications. The smoke alarm set will link to one another as soon as you turn them on.
   
• Make sure that the smoke alarm has an effective bypass button and that the lithium battery is accessible.
   
• Speak to your local fire warden and your local council on the current bylaws of the smoke alarm location in your house. It's best to have a copy of these rules and regulations along with your insurance paperwork. 

However, in your current situation, it's best to ask your local council if the current smoke alarm can be relocated to your wall for ease of access and maintenance.

Let me call on our experienced members @TedBear and @Adam_W for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @Smokey_the_bare,

Is there any chance that you could contact your local Fire Safety Officer, as a part of your local fire brigade?

As a Station Officer over here in New Zealand,  with Fire & Emergency, there must be a better way than what you are going through at the moment.

There is nothing more useless than smoke detectors that trigger un-necessarily, where people disable them for this fact and then the place catches fire and then that is what you have.

My mere advice would be to talk with such an Officer and look at having something like a "Rate of Rise" detector installed in lieu of actual smoke detectors.

Secondary to this, I would ask the question as to why these detectors are going off when they shouldn't be activated, are they a poor type (cheap) or is there something that is triggering them?

How long have these smoke alarms been installed?

Is is a well known fact that smoke alarms do not perform well when installed in any angle other than parallel with a floor below, that is why they are never installed to walls.

Let me know how this works out because this is not good for you or your partner.

Cheers,

Mike T.