east end, i take it back

[keryx]

This morning my smoke detectors LOST THEIR COLLECTIVE SHIT. 15 solid minutes of FIVE SMOKE ALARMS GOING OFF FOR NO REASON. On the upside, I now have a working conceptual model of ionic radiation smoke detectors and can even correct my dad who thinks most smoke detectors still have optical sensors

Comments

[queerbychoice]

Why in the world would a single normally-sized house need five smoke alarms?

[turbogrrl]

kitchen bedroom bedroom attic/basement livingroom, I would guess.

[queerbychoice]

The three-bedroom house that I grew up in had just one smoke alarm in the hallway. The three-bedroom house my parents now live in has just one smoke alarm in the living room. The three-bedroom house my grandparents live in has just one smoke alarm in the living room. My one-bedroom apartment has just one smoke alarm in the living room, and my fiancee's two-bedroom duplex has just one smoke alarm in the hallway. I've never heard of any house having a smoke alarm in every room.

[turbogrrl]

current codes in many locations require a smoke alarm *in* every bedroom, as well as on every level of the house. other merely require one in the hallway near bedrooms, in addition to on every level. Some also require a CO2 detecter near any gas appliances. Many of these codes are not enforced except upon sale, when sellers in many municipalities have to sign an affidavit that all the required detecters are installed and functional.

Given that the city of richmond will deliver and install smoke alarms and batteries for free, I'm not sure why anyone would be unhappy with several smoke alarms.

[queerbychoice]

Do you know whether these codes are state specific? Maybe they don't apply in California, where I live. I've just never heard of multiple smoke alarms being considered necessary.

[turbogrrl]

How Many are Required? [California Building Code 310.9.1.4]
􀂃 One smoke alarm is required per floor in non-sleeping areas, AND
􀂃 One smoke alarm is required in each sleeping room, AND
􀂃 One smoke alarm is required in the hallway that directly serves the sleeping rooms.
􀂃 At least one smoke alarm shall be installed within enclosed stairwells serving more than one dwelling unit.
􀂃 [Note: Smoke alarms are not required in attics, garages, or kitchens].

Types of Alarms [California Building Code 310.9.1.3 and Health & Safety Code 13114]
􀂃 Listing: Smoke alarms must be approved and listed by the State Fire Marshal and installedin accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
􀂃 Type: Smoke alarms may be either photoelectric-type or photoionization-type.
􀂃 Power: In new construction, smoke alarms shall be powered by the building wiring alongwith a battery back-up. In existing buildings, smoke alarms may be solely battery powered.

[queerbychoice]

Interesting. Thanks!

[keryx]

They'd sortof come and install one for you... but not the fancypants variety where they all go off together and are wired into the house's electricity. Like, the stick on the wall with double-sided tape variety.

I haven't read Richmond's specific codes, but none of my previous apartments adhered to the all-sleeping-rooms rule if there is one. I suspect multi-unit places have somewhat different rules.

[turbogrrl]

well, i guess if there's really going to be fire, you'd want to know about it. but sheesh. what a way to wake up. (Actually, the aggressive fire alarm in Nicks building is why I now keep earplugs by the bed. I have determined that it is impossible to function when there is a klaxon going off by my head. as in, twice i've been unable to figure out how to get dressed until after I found earplugs. still, good to know.)

was there a battery backup for the system, which failed, or what?

(I couldn't actually find richmond's codes. I got saddled with signing an affidavit when I sold my place in santa cruz. But many people don't know/check until their realtor forces them to, which is sad.)

[keryx]

One of the batteries in one of the units died. They were still connected to the house's electricity, and as far as I can tell they just freaked out as a way of letting me know that battery was dead.

That, or that particular unit malfunctioned in some other way and just called all its friends.

[keryx]

Foyer bedroom bedroom trunk room hall, technically. Thank $DEITY there's not one of the damned things in the virtually inaccessible attic.

[keryx]

City/local code, sometimes state code, as mentioned. The frustrating thing with mine is that they're newly installed and therefore all interconnected. One goes off (presumably malfunctioning because the battery was low) and the other 4 have to follow. Making it, by the way, virtually impossible to identify which of them actally has a problem. AND they all have batteries IN ADDITION TO being wired to the house, which means you have to turn the power off to reset them.

There were cats racing from room to room trying to get away from the hideous wailing noise. During which, of course, all of this had to be calmly reasoned out by me. It was... fun.