Does your home have a smoke detector?

[Nile]

Well done if you answer yes to the question.

If you don't have a smoke detector, why not? Did you see on the news that three little girls died this week in a house fire in Goole, East Yorkshire?

Remember to test the smoke detector(s) regularly. When you visit your friends/family, ask them if they have a smoke detector.

[Andrea]

And remember to change the batteries once a year. :)

[stub451]

When we had our loft converted, our builder insisted (in the nicest way) on installing three linked smoke detectors. (One of his previous jobs burnt down!!).

So if one alarm goes off - they all go off. Very useful for those sleeping in the loft bedroom if a fire starts on the ground floor.

Should be a simple task for a competant electrician.

[COS]

Nile a great reminder ;)

For those of you who don't have a smoke alarm read this and then before doing anything else get yourself to the nearest shop of which sells them and buy at least one and one for a friend, it does'nt matter if you think they might have one as it can be passed on.Then tonight when you are snug in your nice warm bed take comfort that you may have saved a life.


My thoughts are with the family who have lost their three children in a house fire this week.


Chris

[mini]

We do.

The other important item you need is a plan, especially if you have kids, if you need to get out fast who takes who, could save vital seconds we also keep a mobile phone by the bed (your home phone may not work in case of fire)

Some (maybe all?) local fire stations have people who will visit your home & install smoke alarms free of charge & advise you on safety.

Such a sad story in the news, I hadn't heard the story, it's so very sad

mini

[lawrat]

Thats just inspired me to go round and test our alarms.

Thanks for that

[vanoonoo]

I don't have have a smoke alarm and now I feel terrible that I don't have one so I may go and get one from tesco with my clubcard vouchers which came through this morning.

Although I have my own personal escape plan (thanks for the nudge mini) I don't know how I would go about getting my cats out - I know people would say to leave them but I would like to think that I could at least have one quick attempt at getting them out - any ideas?

[Nile]

Vanoonoo

Please don't say "I may go and get one", tell me that you will buy one today!!!!

A smoke detector will give you vital time to escape in the event of a fire in your home. No excuses now, GO AND BUY A SMOKE DETECTOR NOW!!!

I want to be able to sleep soundly, knowing that you're all safe and sound. ;)

[vanoonoo]

I shall go and buy at least one this evening and I will make sure it is working before I go to bed - ok?

I don't think I can get up a step ladder to install it though so where is a good plaec to leave it until I can fix it up properly?

On a table maybe? Or on my bannister?

[Nile]

I have several smoke detectors in my home, apart from in the kitchen because the burned toast would set if off! To illustrate how effective smoke detectors are, the last time I burned the toast, as I opened the kitchen door to go into the hall it set off the hall smoke detector. The kitchen wasn't smoke logged, just a bit of burned toast smell but it was enough to set off the detector!! Are you convinced yet that they could save your life?

Start with placing one in your hall, the higher up the better. One at the top of the stairs (unless you live in a bungalow of course) is a good location. If you can't reach the ceiling, fix the detector(s) high up on the wall.

Sorry to shout and bang on about this subject. If you'd seen the news pictures of the house where the little girls died, you'd be spurred into action.

I've done a fire fighting course at work so I'm all clued up.

I know this is a money saving site but I hope I've wasted my money on all the smoke detectors, fire blanket and fire extinguishers I've bought for the house and that I never have a fire at home. But.........I'm prepared for the worst. ;)

[tonyivb]

A great post Nile!

We've been in our place for 3 years without a smoke detector and each time there was fire on the news we thought 'We really must get a detector' but always forgetting about it when we were at B&Q.

Anyway, I actually went out and bought two detectors last week... one for smoke and one for Carbon monoxide.

One point that I didn't know, you can get two types of smoke detectors - 'ionisation' and 'photo electric'

Aparently, the ionisation type is good for fast burning fires and the photo electric is best for smouldering fires (according to the blurb anyway).

One other point from the fitting instructions... "When fitting the alarm on the wall, use an inside wall with the top edge of the alarm at a minimum of 10cm and a maximum of 30cm below the ceiling." The reason for this is that the area in the corner between the wall & ceiling is a 'dead air' space.

Tony

[Andrea]

A carbon monoxide detector is very handy too. I bought one last week as well because we've both been feeling a bit sick and dizzy lately (although for some strange reason its usually on a Saturday morning so could well be something to do with drinking the previous night ::)).

Mine was just under a fiver in Tesco, less if you have coupons, and it lasts a year. You write the date that you opened the packet on it and stick it on the fridge as it has a magnet. You're supposed to buy a new one once a year has passed from the date you wrote on it.

:)

[mini]

This is an incredibly good thread, I didn't know carbon monoxide detectors could be bought so cheaply, thanks Andrea I will be buying one.

mini

[MSE Martin]

A very good thread indeed. Does anyone know where you can get a good cheap - BUT reliable smoke detector. Let's find one as the arms and i will include it in the next tip (or one after if there's not time)

PS Vanoonoo - unless you report back by Sat night that you have a smoke detector you shall be barred from the arms and sent to Coventry.

[vanoonoo]

Vanoonoo - unless you report back by Sat night that you have a smoke detector you shall be barred from the arms and sent to Coventry.

reporting in one night early as promised - sir! *clicks heels and salutes*

I have an ionisation sensor from tesco - £4.98 and a carbon monoxide sensor for £4.47 (or those prices might be the other way round - they both come up as electrical on my bill)

I've tested the alarm and it is really loud!

[tonyivb]

One drawback of all these alarms/detectors... my ceiling looks like a UFO car park ;D

[MSE Martin]

From Vanono to VaVaVavoom

your key to the arms is assured.

[COS]

vanoonoo


Excellent.

I am puzzled with Martins Vavavoom, but just a point of fact !VaVaVavoom is the same as saying Vroom Vroom or Brum Brum as the actual advert is taking the mickey out of us some what.

[Judi]

Thing is about being married to a electrician, i have emergency lights everywhere, we have two smoke alarms and a gas detector. !We have lights lighting up the paths outside. !

The insurance company ought to give us a huge discount.

[vanoonoo]

and probably your electrickery company too judi!

you're right chris - I am worried about martin - he keeps referring to me with funny little pet names ... I am getting a bit scared! Perhaps I will start calling him Marty

;)

[MSE Martin]

Now I shouldnt say this - as it will probably mean lots of "marty in the black poloneck comments" but I hate Marty. To be fair though Vanono I have sneaking suspicions that isnt what your parents actually called you!

[Judi]

Your ok Martin, Marty doesnt suit you anyway ;D. I am sure we can find something just as suitable though.

[vanoonoo]

Now I shouldnt say this - as it will probably mean lots of "marty in the black poloneck comments" but I hate Marty.
Doh! sorry martin. !
To be fair though Vanono I have sneaking suspicions that isnt what your parents actually called you!
you're absolutely right martin. !They called me bubbykins.

Meanwhile - back on the topic:

My cats keep sitting on my smoke alarm - do you think this might prevent it from working?

[Judi]

They may set it off if you get my drift ;) ;D

[COS]

Doh! sorry martin. !Whilst we're on the subject - do any of your friends call you martaaaaaaaaayn in avid merrion stylee? !Because my friend claire and I do !;D

you're absolutely right martin. !They called me bubbykins. !My given name however is three syllables long (like Vanoonoo) and starts with a V.

Meanwhile - back on the topic:

My cats keep sitting on my smoke alarm - do you think this might prevent it from working?

Depends on what sort of job your Cat does for a living ;D

[icecoolbabe]

My house has 2 smoke detectors - one at the foot of the stairs and one at the top. Both run off electricity with battery back up.
I can't emphasise enough the importance of smoke detectors. A few years ago I had a ground floor flat. One morning I went out shopping and a dish cloth fell onto the hot plate of my cooker (which I thought was off as I had not been using it).
Anyway, the smoke detector activated and was heard by a neighbour who looked thru the window, saw smoke and called the fire brigade.
As it was a ground floor flat, the front door had to be fire proof and the fire brigade demolished the door and frame and surrounds getting in.
Most importantly, my cat survived although he suffered smoke inhalation and was treated at the scene by the firebrigare who gave him some oxygen.
The only fire damage sustained was to the dish cloth and cooker surround - the rest of the flat was fine although smoky for a while.
Thanks to the smoke detector, and my neighbour, a real disaster was averted.
If you have not got one - GET IT TODAY. If you already one - TEST IT TODAY.

ice

[Nile]

I was talking to someone (who shall rename nameless but is very pretty ;) at Martin's party.

I'm hoping that she has remembered to change the batteries and check that her smoke detectors are working.

This message could also serve as a timely reminder for everyone else to test that their detectors are working.

[PurpleGreen]

For some reason that will always be a mystery, the person who lived in my house before me installed a smoke detector in the kitchen, and nowhere else. How could that possibly make sense?

I now have BT Home Monitoring along with 3 smoke detectors linked to the system.

Everyone must have a smoke alarm.

Not necessarily in the kitchen, above the stove, though.

[Little_Star]

We have seven. ;D
One in the lounge, one at the bottom of the stairs, one in the study, one at the top of the stairs, one in each of three bedrooms up stairs, fourth bedroom has no alarm but there are no electrical goods in that room, and there is an alarm outside it :)

[trafalgar]

I hav esmoke detectors now all over my house but I'm sorry to say it took a fire to promt me to do it
I twas a chip pan fire , my babysitter had a couple of friends round and forgot about the pan
Next thing the kitchens ablaze.
Luckily she had the sense not to open the door when she saw smoke billowing underneath
Got the kids out and called fire brigade
Thank God they were all safe

The kitchen was completely gutted and unfortunately I had those polystyrene tiles on the ceiling

They had all melted and they helped spread the fire so quickly it was frightening to see how much worse they had made it

So now I have smoke detectors,a fire extinguisher/fireblanket(in the kitchen, they are not expensive either)and an escape route planned just in case

I'm ashamed it took a fire to teach me but grateful they all got out ok ;D

[Judi]

I have three in my house. Two downstairs and one upstairs, and i am fanatical at changing the batteries. My number 2 son is a perfect height to do that.

MY eldest son isnt tall enough yet, I have to use a stool to stand on ;D ;D ;D

;)

[Glad]

my smoke alarms are linked to the electric
do I still have to test them ???

we have always had an escape plan set up, which we have changed as the kids got older, and we have always known which of us would be in charge of helping which child, that applies to any emergency anywhere

trouble is if our smoke alarm does go off someone just shouts 'mums cooking again'
dont let that put you off the cakes Judi ;D

[Nile]

Glad, as your detector is linked to the mains electrickery ;) you won't have a battery to test.

However, you might want to test the detector function. A simple way to test it is to burn some toast and move your toaster towards the detector. The burned toast should trigger the alarm to go off. Now.......don't go burning your hands will you? I'm trying to promote safety, I don't want anyone to be injured ::).

I've stayed in some hotels which tell you not to leave the bathroom door open as the steam could set of the smoke detector.

[Glad]

they definitely work then

every day at teatime ;)

[Leothecat]

I have to agree with Nile. PLEASE get smoke detectors in NOW.
I have 1 in hall downstairs, 1 upstairs, 1 in each bedroom, 1 in study and 1 in living room. Also carbon minoxide thingy in living room. Perhaps a bit over the top.
I was spurred on by seeing on the news 3 separate fires in my area in 1 week. In one 3 young children died.
Very sad and the firebrigade said it could have been avioded had alarms been fitted.

[flossie]

We recently had an incident involving a saucepan, a ceramic hob and about one hour .. need I say more? We were sat in the lounge and heard this terrifying alarm - seconds passed before we realised what it was. When we opened the kitchen door it was full of black smoke (no flames fortunately). Within seconds every alarm in the house was going off (we have one in every room). Yes, every room, except the kitchen. Well, here's the rub .. there is one in the kitchen but I removed the battery because of the toaster setting it off. :-[ I can tell you, the battery went back in faster than a rat up a drainpipe. It sets off every breakfast time, but I don't care - it's meant for kitchen so it can be switched off easily and resets itself. If I hadn't been so stupid I could have saved hours of work cleaning up, but it could obviously have been so much worse. Upshot is, the cleaning didn't work - now whole kitchen is being decorating and refitted as well as the dining room, including carpet being replaced. The place just stinks!!

So please please please - get yourself sorted if you haven't got smoke detectors. Our local neighbourhood watch fits them free for anyone who can't afford or fit them themselves.

Do it now ...

[vanoonoo]

sheel - they'll all shout at you - take the one out of the cupboard outta the pack NOW

check the battery

if it's working leave it somewhere prominent - it'll still work until it's fitted

no more posts until you've done it - I nearly got banned for not having one - martin will be cross with you and you don't want that

and as for nile - OMG don't get on the wrong side of nile!!

[Glad]

DO IT NOW

[flossie]

Sheel we are ALL shouting at you. I'm sure you could think of some appliance to pinch a battery from, just for a short while ;) ;) ;) ;D

[Glad]

Sheel we are ALL shouting at you. !I'm sure you could think of some appliance to pinch a battery from, just for a short while !;) ;) ;) ;D

:o :o :o :o :o

[Glad]

thought you were going to say vibrating rabbit for a minute

phew

[Mandy_Thompson]

Hi Nile

Just wanted to report that I have just checked both of my alarms and all is well. The downstairs one goes off all the time, but we do forget about the upstairs one.

Thank you for remaining us.

Mandy

[flossie]

Don't shout at me , please , i'll do it I promise !:)

Do you mean the battery from my vibrating.........

OK we'll not shout anymore and 'cos your being good you can have one last go before you take the battery out of the :-/



















alarm clock ! ;) !:D

[flossie]

Oh stupid me I did that wrong - that's what happens when I get excited ... the thought of alarm clocks ... mmm :D

[Glad]

what you need is a BIG one



































with bells on ;D

[flossie]

Ha! I'm off to watch Nip/Tuck - that'll take the edge off it ;)

[elfmay]

NILE GREAT POST !;D
dont know if this is still going on or just regional(will enquire) but i got !my smoke alarms free (& fitted) from our local fire brigade. some sort of rep called and asked if we had them, berated me when i said no ( :-[) and fitted them there & then. was a while back but the local fire station come out now & then to check them too! (one of my fav. days of the year ;)) thinking about it now though it seems a really long time since they last called out so best change batteries just in case.
also my son brought a form home from school last wk to do with smoke alarms for over 60's my gran and ALL her pensioners group have filled it in to receive a free fire safety check and smoke alarms. will try to find out if its widespread or something to do with the school (didn't reaaly take much notice of it sorry :-/ just passed it on to gran, now she would be great on here HATES spending money :)) !but would certainly recommend getting in touch with local fire station to see if they are running any similar schemes.



Whatever the cost though please fit & maintain smoke alarms it is a matter of life and death a friend of mine received horrific burns & lost a brother in a house fire, they never had them!

[Nile]

SHEEL, I'M VERY CROSS WITH YOU! ::)

An alarm clock won't wake you if you've been overcome by smoke so take the batteries (if they're the same type?) out of the clock to put into your smoke alarm, or got out and buy batteries DO IT NOW!

For everyone else who is unsure, please don't 'get around to it'............buy a smoke detector today, fit it and test it.

Look at my first post to see what can happen if you don't have fitted and working smoke detectors in your home!

Lecture over, be safe

Cheers Nile

[trafalgar]

sorry Nile !:-[

I feel very small , and although it was in a car , not at home , I do know about the horrors of fire as my niece died from the resulting fire after the car in which she was a passenger , crashed. My brother and his wife weren't allowed to see her body and she had to be identified from a dirty piece of her clothing from home , so you'd think I would be doing all I could to make sure that I never have to be in that same awful position that my brother and his wife were in of knowing their daughter died horrifically and not being able to see her one last time. I am , at the very least , guilty of complacancy and I promise I will make sure that I do all I can to ensure my daughters , and of course my husband and I , are given the best possible chance of escaping should the worst come to the worst

http://images.picsearch.com/is?270214960736
My heart goes out to them and you after reading that story

Glad your going to take care of things now though :-*

[trafalgar]

Thankyou

As you can imagine , it's had a terrible effect on my brother and his wife , also my nephew , and they've had to have psychiatric help . Unfortunately since my niece died , my brother has also had a heart attack and now it looks like his marriage has ended , impossible to say whether those things would have happened anyway but my guess is they were a major contribution.
I'm so sorry to hear that , your probably right though , it probably will be a factor in all their lives for some time to come
I've no idea how you get past something like that, prehaps you never really do but I hope some day they will all turn that corner and things will be easier for ALL of you , cause it must be hard on everyone concerned
I wish you all well and hope one day what you remember are all the brilliant "little" things " in memory of your neice :-*

[Nile]

It is extremely sad to hear about deaths from fires.

I hope that by sharing these messages, everyone is prompted to fit smoke detectors and regularly check that they are working.

[jack_pott]

electrickery


Somebody else who remembers Catweazle. :)

[flossie]

Sheel, heartfelt sympathy to everyone involved in this tragedy. My heart goes out to all of you.

Nile - Thanks for raising this important topic - it shouldn't be allowed to drop to the bottom of the pile ... new people are coming on all the time. Yes, we should all know better but I guess people think it won't happen to them, and pray God it won't, but reminders from any source can only be good.

[vanoonoo]

Somebody else who remembers Catweazle. :)
uh huh - and I regularly use the telling bone too ;)

[elfmay]

twin pk of smoke alarms £8.48 in B&Q


dont know if there the cheapest, but bought them for sis today as she didnt have any! got a bit paranoid about smoke alarms lately made mum buy them today too. can't believe how many people i know who don't have any. not good. mentioned in earlier posts about fire brigade, still waiting for someone to get back to me about it hopefully sometime later today. either way £8.48 is a small price to pay compared to the terrible consequences of doing without

[Tony H]

Yes, we had the battery ones replaced by ADT when they installed the alarm system. It's very reassuring to know that you don't have to rely on passerby's to call the fire brigade. According to ADT, it's most probable that if a fire broke out, due to the placement of the local fire brigade, they would arrive before there were visible signs of fire.

[Nile]

Let's all be safe in our homes.

[elfmay]

Sorry forgot all about this thread, :-[
found out that merseyside fire brigade DO have a free fire safety check and smoke alarm installation programme started a few years ago. so check out your regional stations! :-*

[flossie]

Let's all be safe in our homes.

Just thought I'd bump this up - hope that's OK

[Jolaaled]

I'm hanging my head in shame as we have a smoke alarm in the hall but no batteries in it !:-[

Following a severe house fire at my neighbours, the fire brigade have suggested we all fit the type that you just screw into the light fittings..then screw the light bulbs into these devices ( they're called 'fire angels'). When the lights are on, they charge up the fire angel, so no batteries to worry about.
They are much more expensive tho' than the battery type, but well worth it, i think.

www.fireangel.co.uk

Keep safe, folks!

[Nile]

There are still people dying in house fires. Either their smoke detector wasn't working (not tested regularly or battery removed) or they hadn't installed any in their home.

Make sure you and your loved ones are safe. Check your smoke detectors are working and ask your relatives (especially the elderly) if they have checked theirs too.

[Coldfinger]

I always change the batteries twice per year when the clocks go forward and back, a useful reminder.

[Anne_Marie]

That's a good idea Coldfinger. Then you can always use the battery in something else until it is flat.
Our smoke detectors bleep when the battery is getting low, and bleep and bleep, and bleep, you get the message - until the battery is changed.
Anyway, this post has reminded me to get new batteries, not needing them yet, but maybe tomorrow/next week.

[ashmit]

I wanted to bump this up and link my post here (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=852706&postcount=7) as there is very useful information in this thread too.

All fire brigades in the country will come out and do a fire safety check for free. For more information on it, check my post on the other thread. They have just come out to do mine this morning and I can highly recommend it.

And like the ad says... if the batteries in your smoke alarm are dead, you don't have a smoke alarm. Get them sorted.

[robby-01]

Instead of battery powered alarms go for mains powered with a battery back up.They cost about £13 each from electrical wholesalers .
And they can be linked together quite easily.As a guide the cost to supply and fit 2 interlinked mains powered detectors in a terraced property would be about £85

[seven-day-weekend]

You can get smoke detectors free from the Fire Brigade (at least you can in the West Midlands; I've just started a new thread.

We have one in the cellar, one in the dining room (ground floor), one on the first landing and one in my son's loft room.

My house is lived in by my son and two lodgers; they also have a fire extinguisher, fire blanket and an escape ladder for the loft and they all know the escape plan.

In our house in Spain we have a smoke alarm on each floor.

Will be getting a CO2 detector too as we use calor gas.

[jamescredmond]

A carbon monoxide detector is very handy too. I bought one last week as well because we've both been feeling a bit sick and dizzy lately (although for some strange reason its usually on a Saturday morning so could well be something to do with drinking the previous night ::)).

Mine was just under a fiver in Tesco, less if you have coupons, and it lasts a year. You write the date that you opened the packet on it and stick it on the fridge as it has a magnet. You're supposed to buy a new one once a year has passed from the date you wrote on it.

:)
this post maybe 3 yrs old but still holds true.
a few years ago I awoke at 7 am on a sun to find my wife bolt-right in bed, struggling for breath, pupils dilated,etc. I felt as if I'd just consumed 15 pints of guinness. carbon monoxide from the boiler directly beneath. the cat lay at the bottom of the bed (dead as it turned out). tried to alert my f-in-l acroos landing but collapsed and blacked out before reaching bedroom door. by pure luck, my f-in-l heard me shouting at wife and investigated. later, in hospital, we were told that we would have been dead within 90 mins.

3 people died that same winter night in darlington of mono poisoning. they'd been for a few drinks, got a curry, sat down by fire and watched tv. they fell asleep and didn't wake up.

take my advice and that offered in other posts: fit a c.mono detector at the same time you fit a fire detector or there may come a time when you're not in a position to money-save anymore.

[ginger_nuts]

I have three Smoke dectectors ,
1 in the hall
1 on landing
1 dining room .
I didnt fit the dectector in the hall or the landing
but I never understood why people put a smoke dectector on the landing .
I mean I have never known a fire to start on the landing .
My way off thinking says put a dectector on each room not on the landing

[John 3:16]

If only one detecter is fitted the landing is a good place as smoke rises it will reach it from the hall.

[devon-gnome]

I have just had 2 fitted by the Fire Brigade. They are the sort that last 10 years and don't need the batteries changing. Also, they just need a flat hand on the surface to turn them off rather than fiddling about trying to poke the button. This is a free service though my local brigade took some time to get to me. :)

[edwara]

just wanted to agree with this thread. Can't imagine why you wouldn't have smoke detectors - false economy if it is cost involved.

we have just had a new burglar alarm fitted and have 2 detectors wired into the system, one is outside our bedroom on the upper landing. They set the whole house alarm off, but with a different sound so you know it is fire not an intruder. It will probabaly wake the whole street up but that can only be a good thing. You never know if you might need help to get out! Also a few years ago my elderly great aunt set fire to herself (dropped cigarette) and collapsed in her kitchen. A neighbour heard the alarm and got into the house and called the ambulance etc. Sadly she didn't survive but it would have been far worse if no one had been alerted to help her.

JUST GET AN ALARM. It is amazing how valuable something so cheap could be

[poppie,s dream]

i have a smoke alarm called "fire angel" it's attached to the light fitting above the bulb it cost £5.99 on offer at tesco home denton manchester, for some reason they were reduced from £19.99 - £10.00 - £5.99.
only trouble is i have no door on my kitchen and when making yorkies it sometimes goes off. so i know it works. lol

[tawnyowls]

[QUOTE=Jolaaled]When the lights are on, they charge up the fire angel, so no batteries to worry about.
QUOTE]

Just make sure it's a light that goes on regularly, otherwise the blinking thing chirps like mad, usually at 3am!

Got 2 detectors wired into the system, but have the Fire Angel as well, just in case! Definitely a case where saving a few pounds is just not worth it. Anyone with gas in the house (from whatever source) should also definitely have a (powered audible alarm) CO detector - they're less than 20 quid now.

[Scottie]

I'm a great believer in smoke alarms. I bought our first one in 1982 from a pharmacy in Ayr. They were having a sale, it was reduced from £39 to £18 that must have been the equivilent of at least £100 now. :eek:

[kittiwoz]

Just to agree with the other posters who have recomended getting the fire brigade to do a home check. It is a free service, they may also provide free alarms (not sure if that part depends on area or whether you are a home owner or tenant etc.) and they will give you tailored advice on how to prevent fires starting and spreading and what to do in the event of a fire. Don't go thinking you already know it all already. We were told not to try to escape via windows but just to stay put and wait for the firebrigade because we live quite near to the nearest firestation. I wouldn't have known that if we hadn't had them come round. I highly recommend it. Prevention is better (and cheaper) than cure. That's why the fire service does home checks.