Smoke detector
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Anonymous
| This question is going to show how bad I am at home stuff.. but we moved into a house and didn’t realize that the smoke detector in one room is basically at the top of a cathedral ceiling. No idea why. Can I hire an electrician to move it? Or disable it and put a battery powered one lower? We won’t be able to get a ladder up high enough to change the batteries ourselves. It’s really high. |
Anonymous
| Code usually requires they be within a foot of the highest point of the ceiling. You could consider having an electrician replace it with the newer “worry-free” 10-year variety that ideally will not need battery changes for the life of the device (10 years max allowed). |
Anonymous
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Oh that explains why they did this. Does anyone have a brand of the ten year they recommend?
(Thanks for the helpful reply) |
Anonymous
| PP again, our electrician installed the Kidde brand. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| Just add more - one in every room. |
Anonymous
| I would definitely move it. And get a ladder. Imagine when it starts chirping at 2am… |
Anonymous
Smoke rises - it really needs to be at the high point. |
Anonymous
Not always. Special smoke detector installation rules apply if you have a pitched roof. Smoke rises, but believe it or not, jamming a smoke detector in the peak of a gabled, vaulted, or pitched ceiling isn’t a good idea. In fact, the NFPA has some specific rules regarding smoke detector placement in these conditions. Install the smoke detector between 4 and 36 inches of the peak, where the two halves of the ceiling meet. This also includes walls that reach from the floor to angled ceilings. Installing it too close to the peak may cause malfunctions and installing it more than 36 inches from the peak may allow smoke to float by. https://www.bobvila.com/articles/where-to-put-smoke-detectors/ |
Anonymous
| If you’re concerned about battery changes, you could hire an electrician to upgrade you to hardwired smoke detectors. |
Anonymous
Don't they still have batteries for power failures? |
Anonymous
Yes. |
Anonymous
So I guess you still have to change them out periodically. |
Anonymous
Yup. That’s why OP is going to need a tall ladder regardless. |
Anonymous
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I'd leave it but I'd certainly add ones lower. If you change the battery every 2 years or so you should avoid the chirping issue. We've never had that happen in our current house (lived here 10 years) because we change the batteries regularly, and don't wait until they start chirping.
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