Heat Detectors vs Smoke Alarms?

Andy From Sligo

How do people on here rate Heat Detectors? - I lit a fire with some old newspapers the other day in our new house and smoke started bellowing back into the room out of the fireplace. I reckon theres been a birds nest up in the chimney and it needs a good clean, and there is no birds nest 'cage' on the chimney pot.

Anyway the living room was full of acrid choking smoke and there are 2 alarms fitted on the ceiling and neither went off. On closer inspection one is a carbon monoxide alarm and the one I thought was a smoke alarm on closer inspection I read "Heat Detector" and other alarms in the house are Heat Detector ones too. - and they are of the Mains with battery backup type. Shall I buy a couple of battery smoke alarms and put them up in the house? - or can I rely on the heat ones?

fred funk }{

Heats are really only used in kitchens or somewhere with lots of predicted fumes.

Change them to smokes asap.

Water John

It's the smoke that kills you.

Andy From Sligo

the room was filled with acrid smoke from where the newspaper smouldered but the smoke didnt go up the chimney but in the room , so wouldnt that produce carbon monoxide? - if so, I wonder why the Carbon Monoxide alarm sound? I wonder why it didnt?

Prenderb

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

the room was filled with acrid smoke from where the newspaper smouldered but the smoke didnt go up the chimney but in the room , so wouldnt that produce carbon monoxide? - if so, I wonder why the Carbon Monoxide alarm sound? I wonder why it didnt?

It would have created some, but the carbon monoxide may not have reached the alarm - its density is similar to air, so if the CO detector is on the ceiling, it mightn't have had time to get to the detector just yet.

Always consider the age of the detectors aswell. Most, if not all, household detector/alarms have a life of 10 years.

I recommend replacement of your mains powered heat alarms with mains powered, battery backup smoke models - you might be handy enough to do it yourself, or it's an easy job for an electrician. Do it as soon as you can. Heat alarms are fine but by their nature don't respond as early as a smoke alarm does.

Getting the same brand's smoke alarm might help an easier switch?

Andy From Sligo

Just had another proper look today. mains/w battery backup Heat alarms in Kitchen and living room - mains Smoke alarms w/ battery backup in downstairs hall and upstairs landing. That should be OK shouldnt it?

fred funk }{

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Just had another proper look today. mains/w battery backup Heat alarms in Kitchen and living room - mains Smoke alarms w/ battery backup in downstairs hall and upstairs landing. That should be OK shouldnt it?

I'd swap the heat in the living room to a smoke.

rpmcs

Also in my opinion the carbon monoxide alarm should be of good quality.
If you look closely at the cheaper/less quality ones ..
.the response is so slow. Too slow.
Try and get one that reacts to smaller particles.
And most important, which most people don't realise is that the sensor is normally only reliable for 3-5 yrs on budget and 5-7 yrs on better quality ones.
Which means you should replace alarms at least every 5years

coylemj

Why would you bother with a heat alarm in a private house? I'd have thought they were intended for use in computer rooms and the likes where excessive heat (not necessarily involving fire) could damage the equipment. In a domestic house the smoke will reach the sensors much faster than the heat so smoke alarms are the way to go and as already pointed out, it's typically the smoke that kills you, not heat. You also need a carbon monoxide alarm in each room that burns fossil fuel and one on the landing so a combi smoke/CO alarm is an option for the upstairs landing.

fred funk }{

coylemj wrote: »

Why would you bother with a heat alarm in a private house? I'd have thought they were intended for use in computer rooms and the likes where excessive heat (not necessarily involving fire) could damage the equipment. In a domestic house the smoke will reach the sensors much faster than the heat so smoke alarms are the way to go and as already pointed out, it's typically the smoke that kills you, not heat. You also need a carbon monoxide alarm in each room that burns fossil fuel and one on the landing so a combi smoke/CO alarm is an option for the upstairs landing.

Not necessarily so. For example, if the kitchen door was closed then the heat detector will activate. Also, remember that they measure the rapid rise of the heat so will probably trigger more quickly than you think.

Andy From Sligo

rpmcs wrote: »

Also in my opinion the carbon monoxide alarm should be of good quality.
If you look closely at the cheaper/less quality ones ..
.the response is so slow. Too slow.
Try and get one that reacts to smaller particles.
And most important, which most people don't realise is that the sensor is normally only reliable for 3-5 yrs on budget and 5-7 yrs on better quality ones.
Which means you should replace alarms at least every 5years

These are the makes fitted in my house:

Lex Luthor

rpmcs wrote: »

Also in my opinion the carbon monoxide alarm should be of good quality.
If you look closely at the cheaper/less quality ones ..
.the response is so slow. Too slow.
Try and get one that reacts to smaller particles.
And most important, which most people don't realise is that the sensor is normally only reliable for 3-5 yrs on budget and 5-7 yrs on better quality ones.
Which means you should replace alarms at least every 5years

In general, the sensors in almost all off the shelf CO detectors come from the same company

What you are generally paying extra for is warranty and/or battery life

Your typical cheaper option CO unit for about 20eur will generally have a warranty of 2yrs and you can replace the battery yourself.

More expensive units like the Honeywell SF unit is a 6yr unit, warranty & battery for this lifetime and if it fails in this period you would get a replacement FOC.

All units should be manufactured to the same standards and "sensitivity"