PITA Smoke Alarm

[Droogs]

Does anyone know if you can adjust the sensitivity of smoke alarms? Mine is a room and 2 doors away from the kitchen. But every time I use a high oven setting or cook a meal with a high heat, where the oil smokes a bit, the bloody thing goews off. Also when I have the odd ciggy, I lean on the kitchen window frame and it still goes off, its driving me nuts.

 

[mbartlett99]

I've seen one that can be adjusted in any way; certainly the commercial ones we use offshore cannot. However it should not be going off for cigarette smoke - thats meant to be designed out. They can get a bit temperamental as they gwet old/dirty. Try giving it a good blast of canned air to get any dust out.

 

[Beau]

Can you change it for a heat alarm? Think the fire regs when I built our place needed both sorts in the property anyway

 

[Tasky]

If cleaning it out doesn't work, it might be easier to just replace it, especially if it's old. I think they're only £20-odd these days.

I once spoke with someone who did pro installations for Chubb fire devices - Older ones use ion detection or some such (it was a bit technical for me), which basically means they're very sensitive to things like cooking, ciggies, vaping and even deodorant.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Heat alarms are better for kitchens as they aren't set off by smoke. I've one in my kitchen and four other ionisation alarms, one in the kitchen which I was prepared to move but hasn't caused a problem and three elsewhere. Oh, and a couple of CO2 monitors. I've got enough things tring to kill me without adding fire and CO2 to the list.

 

[transatlantic]

Surely heat alarms are too slow though?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Apparently not - they are recommended for kitchens. I would think they work on a sudden increase rather than just an increase.

 

[Tasky]

Apparently not - they are recommended for kitchens. I would think they work on a sudden increase rather than just an increase.

But what happens if you then open the door on a hot oven?

 

[Brandlin]

Apparently not - they are recommended for kitchens. I would think they work on a sudden increase rather than just an increase.

But what happens if you then open the door on a hot oven?

Never had mine go off by opening the oven - thats not hot enough.
However mine always went off when I used a wok or a cast iron skillet to cook stake.

 

[Geoff_S]

My insurance company insisted that I upgrade from a smoke only to smoke and heat.

 

[Droogs]

This is is about 2 years old. It was fitted by a nice fireman when he came around to do resident awareness type stuff in our block of flats. The local council had a scheme to get one in every home sort of thing. They came initially 'cos my upstairs nemisis complained about where the other half kept here bike, claiming it was a fire hazard. They came and said just turn it round the other way to make sure the handlebars dont get in the way and asked if we would like a quick fire saftey inspection. They replaced the old one we had as they said it was knackered and I was recovering from foot surgery and couldn't walk at the time. Genuinely nice of them to do it but it has become a pain as I usually have a ciggy first thing around 6am before get my carp together, doesn't seem to do it when I have one after dinner though, which is wierd. Goes of everytime I do stir fry or sizzly stuff.