to remind you to check your smoke detector.

[Mandatorymongoose]

Not really an AIBU I know, so I guess IABU for posting it here but I know this board is high traffic.

I woke up this morning to my smoke alarm going off. Teenage DC had fallen asleep with candles burning and started a small fire. Fortunately the alarm going off was enough to wake everyone up and get it noticed and put out before any real damage was done. Another couple of minutes and it could have easily been much much worse.

So just sharing a gentle reminder to check your smoke alarms - it's really worth 2 minutes to make sure you're safe.

Thanks, mine has run out of batteries and this has reminded me to buy a new one.

Mine are swines that remind me of their presence every time someone uses the toaster.

I was trapped in a house fire as a child, my idiot brother used the battery for his walkie talkie.

Luckily we all got out alive. I remember being taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation.

Or better still, get them wired into the mains. Then if one goes off, they all go off, and no batteries to check ever.

Ours were installed by the local fire brigade totally free of charge. There was a form on their website to fill out and then they phone to arrange a visit, check your house and install them in the right places. The firefighters that did ours were pretty easy on the eye too

DH fitted replacement ones for us, mains wired, and he tests them every time he cooks.
Seriously, although it annoys me and frightens the cats, I'm also happy to know they all work, and that one going off downstairs also triggers the ones upstairs.

On the same subject, if you have any gas appliances (boiler/fire/hob/oven) please consider getting a carbon monoxide detector. They also save lives.

our smoke detectors are mains ones, which is good as we don't have to remember to check them.

serious house fire just down the road from us only on Wednesday. DHs colleague and family still in temporary accommodation 4 months after a serious fire at their home. They were all in, it was the middle of the day, they all got out. But one storey was virtually gutted.

I know a family who lost all 4 dc in a fire in the 70s when alarms were non existent.

Mine wired up to mains. In one of the previous houses I lived in I had local fire brigade turn up and fit them for free. The also did fire risk assessment.

Mine have batteries and were fitted by the fire brigade 2y ago but have started chirping - when I look it says batteries not replaceable ?? Do I need to ask for new alarms?

Chirping every 40 seconds means batteries running low, but they should last longer than 2 years! The fire brigade will replace them for free though.

Thanks - will ask

Just been cursing ours! The kitchen door had been left open and it took offence to the pork crackling...
In all seriousness, we had ours wired up to the mains (with battery backup) when we had some work done a while back. It's a very sensitive system but I feel safer for it.

My ex p and DD's Dad died in a house fire this past week; severe smoke inhalation. Watching him in critical care for a week and then pass away was heartbreaking.

I'm asking the fire brigade to come and check my property this week.

My dad died in a house fire.

Our alarm went off on Friday night and woke me and DP up, but my teenage son slept through,the alarm is right outside his bedroom door and the door was open.

And actually when you replace your batteries , it's always worth considering whether your fire escape plan still works , and that everyone knows it. Our smoke alarm went off at 2am - false alarm fortunately , but everyone did what they were supposed to do, and didn't run around in a panic , which was comforting.

YY Plomino it's little things like keys being where they always are. Doorways clear. I count door handles in hotels after someone told me there's a risk you won't know the way to go if the corridors full of smoke.

Glad you're all ok OP, candles are buggers aren't they.

Thank you OP, bump

Kidde is a very good brand of detector and you can get combi ones like this one:

www.powertoolsdirect.com/kidde-combination-smoke-carbon-monoxide-alarm?utm_source=google&kwd=&utm_medium=merchant_pla&gclid=CK_d9-vVhMECFazItAodyzwApQ

Nope. NBU at all.

yanbu. I used to type up fire investigations. Lots of them were for houses where the batteries had been taken out of the alarms or they never had an alarm in the first place .

I have 6 alarms in my tiny house. 2 downstairs (both with hush buttons for when I'm cooking), one in each bedroom (3) and one on the landing with a light.

dp tested ours this morning with breakfast

That would explain why you can't take the batteries out of the ones the fire brigade install.

So sorry to those who have lost loved ones in house fires

In the US, they have campaigns to get people to check their batteries and test the detectors twice a year when clocks are changed. A good plan.

Glad you are all safe, mongoose. Smoke detectors saved my life once too.

Just tested mine today when i cooked but you not wrong. Reminding is good. 2 seconds can save someone.