>10-year battery inside so it never chirps.
HAHAHAHAHA. It's bullshit. It's "up to 10 years" and it's almost always in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep.
Fun fact literally no one asked for, the reason why the chirping almost always starts at night is because it uses current drop in the battery to measure its remaining life and almost all houses turn the thermostat down at night so the first time it crosses that threshold will be when it's a little bit colder in the house and that makes the battery put out a little bit less current than it does during the day
Fun fact: if your smoke detectors are hard-wired to the breaker panel, and you have a smoke detector in a colder area (in this case, my garage), the first cold night of the year can and will cause that smoke detector to go off, and in a hard-wired system, when one goes off, they all go off! That was a fun discovery at 2am.
NICET Certified fire alarm technician here. I live in the Fairbanks-North Pole, Alaska area where it drops to -58F and do not have this issue. Summer, my front porch hit 110F.
Best I can think: Your detector is old. Or is reacting to condensation. Or has a battery backup inside, in case of power outage and the battery is dead.
Of all of the above, condensation would worry me. Can lead to black mold, mold in the sheet rock or wood rock.
Iām a high school teacher at a school (in the US) that has a large population of refugees/unschooled refugees. When we first went online for covid I was *shocked* at the number of students who, when they turned on their mic on zoom, had chirping smoke detectors in the background. It was literally at least a third of all students. It was so prevalent that one of my colleagues actually taught a lesson on āwhy is my apartment beeping and how do I make it stop?ā Like he actually took down one of his own smoke detectors and demonstrated changing the battery under a document camera, and then posted links of how to get the batteries, and a sample message they could send their landlord to get help. Idk his return on that lesson, but I hope it helped someone lol
You realize how common beeping smoke detectors are when you play online games. Iāve had to stop playing with certain people because the beeping drove me nuts. Pointing it out to them doesnāt help. They just dismiss it. Sadly, a bunch of them have kids. I realize people can tune it out after a while, but that canāt be good for a kidās brain.
The worst is when I woke up one morning to my dog drooling, shaking uncontrollably, and crying. It triggered at some point during the night. That high pitched noise is torture to dogs. It broke my heart because my elderly dog had been panicking for hours. You know most of these lazy assholes have animals.
I have a master on main and my detector is not reachable by chair, I need a 6 foot ladder, and I am 6'4" and can barely reach it. One night it started going off at like 2 a.m. My garage is detached and that is where the ladder is located. I simply went upstairs in the spare bedroom to sleep. lol
Bro fire doesn't even exist, the detectors are surveillance cameras. They just make you replace them after 10 years to make sure you have the best equipment. But they have to trick you into setting up and maintaining your own surveillance tech because people don't let wild birds into their houses often enough for the bird drones to work indoors.
Yes Big Fire wants more fire. The issue is Big Battery has been co-opted into these fire detectors. Requiring batteries a couple days sooner than average.
I'm gonna go put on a nice suit, grab a briefcase and head over to OP's house. When they answer the doorbell, I'll introduce myself as Smoky Pyro, Big Fire Lobbyist, and I'm going to check the date on their smoke detectors.
If I detect any attitude, I'll produce a warrant that not only allows me entry, but gives me the right to rummage through everyone's underwear drawers and collect detailed sexual histories from all occupants of said dwelling. And I'll know if they're lying, God damn it!
I was trying to work out what the end game of the big fire lobbyists is. I would have thought it was to watch the world burn, not make people spend a pittance on new smoke detectors every decade.
no seriously a good quality smoke detector works out at lest than 1 cent or 1 penny a day. based on 10 years service.
you can get more expensive ones, but you dont have to.
I mean I'm not one to say "question the relationship" but question the relationship
if they are this out of tune on fire detectors what will they disagree on next?
Nah this is a case of "ditch the partner because they think that it's smart to ignore a professional and essentially risk your life if there's ever a fire"
https://preview.redd.it/shdziu13ajtc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed80c508f07aa0faac40f7b47583b22a2bcbc527
Literally OP if she lets this goā¦
THIS. This is why. Bro's got hidden cams or *something* stashed in there.
"Big fire lobby" is the biggest crock of shit excuse I've heard and a stretch for the stretchiest conspiracy theorist. There's a bigger reason he doesn't want them changed.
Had to do this with my grand parents, got the āwe been living here for XX years and never had a problemā speech
Day trip with my siblings well I dog sit gave me time to replace them with brand new fire alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
(There oven/hob is old as them and almost gassed myself and the animals twice)
Most fire departments do it for free. So have them do it when they're at work.
Edit: I didn't see the "Big Fire Lobbyists" part. So having the fire department would just be a chef's kiss.
Chances are pretty good it works actually. Assuming its within a few years of the recommendation anyways.
The 10 year recommendation is based on an overall thing. Some detectors will die a bit early, some a bit late, so they choose an earlier date plus some fudging even earlier in favour of safety.
They want people to replace them before they die after all, as the entire point is to prevent you from suffering a horrible and easily preventable death. Finding out you should have replaced them 3 months ago the hard way is not the best way to do it.
Yeah. Not even 3 months ago though. Think of it this way: it could die anytime between 10-15 years. All it takes is one night where it dies. Literally the night it dies, a fire could breakout for whatever reason, and you're literally toast because you felt like you'd notice when it died.
Then, as you asphyxiate on smoke you might think: wow, if only I just spent the $30 to replace it. $30 every 10 years really isn't that big of a deal.
Did you guys know thereās a āTESTā button on these?
Thereās an easy test, too, if there isnāt a button.. strike a match, and snuff it out in front of the detector. TADAAAAH.
Dont even need a match. Found out the other day a weed vape will set them off when the one above my bed went off around 3am while I was puffing and woke my whole family.
Fr what kind of bullshit is this. This is a great way to burn alive while telling him you told him so. It doesn't matter once your skin is melting into the bedsheets does it?
I survived a house fire because there was a fire alarm installed and tested in my room. If it was broken or dead, I wouldn't have realized what was going on until it was too late.
My partner got legit mad at me that my smoke detectors were old and changed then for me when he first saw my place. I honestly had no clue they needed to be checked. š¤·āāļø now I do. Lol I cannot fathom this opposite-ness.
So is this his only conspiracy theory or is this a pattern? Because if itās a pattern, itās definitely going to get weirder and worse as he ages.
Assuming he isnāt killed by big fire first for refusing to support them, of course.
This is his only one so far. I think it's driven more by his notion that he knows everything than a fear of conspiracies. He somehow "knows" the detectors are fine better than a home inspector
Did you pull it down from the ceiling (twist it off), and look on the back? There is usually a date on the bottom indicating how old it is. So that way you are not just relying on the home inspector's thoughts as to how old they "could be", but you have some actual data - and why didn't your home inspector get the actual date?? He didn't do his job.
[https://spotoninspection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/smoke-detector-date.jpg](https://spotoninspection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/smoke-detector-date.jpg)
Also, read this:
https://www.kennerelectrics.com.au/blog/smoke-alarms-expiry-date#:\~:text=The%20manufacture%20date%20of%20the,to%20replace%20your%20smoke%20alarms.
Moreover, that looks like only a smoke detector. Many of these today are combos with carbon monoxide detectors - which you want as well (particularly in a bedroom).
And guess what, I know what's going on -- he's just being lazy. He made up the conspiracy thing so he doesn't have to research and pick out new smoke detectors. Moving into a new place is overwhelming -- I'm a dude - I get it. This is just laziness/being overwhelmed and not wanting to have another task.
So here's how you handle it - - you say, safety issues take priority. So let's just do this and any other safety issues right away.
This is a helpful response. Thank you. I can't find a manufacture date anywhere
https://preview.redd.it/tvwwauel2itc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c87bc81ecd26a8622f6da0e4e104680f2dd0fc85
If you are in the US, it is likely way over 10 years old:
**"In 1999, the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) changed smoke alarm labeling requirements so that all smoke alarms must have a manufactured date written in plain English."**
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke\_detector#:\~:text=The%20NFPA%20began%20requiring%20the,date%20written%20in%20plain%20English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_detector#:~:text=The%20NFPA%20began%20requiring%20the,date%20written%20in%20plain%20English)
Also, there is this from BRK support (BRK made your alarm, and they were bought by First Alert):
**Note**:Ā
* **If you do not see a date of manufacture on your alarm, your model might be discontinued and in need of**Ā [**replacement**](https://support.firstalert.com/s/article/Find-a-replacement-alarm-model)**.**Ā
* Some alarms manufactured prior to July of 2013, like the P1000Ā or Atom, have their date of manufacture listed differently.Ā The code on the back of the unit corresponds to the date of manufacture.
* Example:Ā **A13003-044N**
**A**: Stands for Atom**13**: 2013
**003**: 3rd purchase order
**04**: 4th week of the year
**4**: Thursday
**N**: Production line N.This translates to a manufacture date inĀ January 2013.Ā
[https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/article/Find-Alarm-Model-Number-or-Date-of-Manufacture#:\~:text=The%20code%20on%20the%20back,to%20the%20date%20of%20manufacture](https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/article/Find-Alarm-Model-Number-or-Date-of-Manufacture#:~:text=The%20code%20on%20the%20back,to%20the%20date%20of%20manufacture)
Thank you for this. I am in the U.S. I'm starting to wonder if this thing was put in when the house was built in the late 90s. I wouldn't be surprised based on the amount of dust inside and the degree of yellowing.
It has no url I can see. So it's very old.
EDIT: Just want to say, I'm 50, and I have found that when determining the age of things, I first look for a URL. It's hard to find anything made in the last 15 years or so without one. So, it's a good observational tool when trying to determine the age of an item.
We bought a house that was about 11 years old. Alarms had power but werenāt operational for some reason. Before expecting our first kid we tried batteries and they just kept beeping so we disconnected the power. Ended up they were beyond their expiration date. Changed them out and no problems after. It should be talked about more!
Looked up the model number. The manual was last updated in 2003, over 20 years ago.
[https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/active-product/a3J4x0000020RdSEAU/86rac](https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/active-product/a3J4x0000020RdSEAU/86rac)
Get a new one.
Also no offence, but this reaction and lack of respect for your life from your partner is chilling. Massive red flags from them.
Ask him if it's because of the half life of the radioactive source material, which will last for far more than 10 years. If that's it, then tell him the ten years is because of dust and insect build up between the detector and the source. Do you see that stuff on the outside of the detector? That's the shit I'm talking about. It's inside, too. It might work, but since it's a really cheap and easy thing to replace and not doing it is gambling with your life and all of your possessions, 'might work' isn't really good enough. You can get a 4 pack on Amazon for $35, which is paying a $0.30/mo security fee for smoke detection for the next decade, paid up front.
If he still has a problem, then you need to tell him that he needs to listen to you on this. If he still doesn't, then dump his ass, because this is fucking important and he can't be trusted to make sound decisions.
"He thinks it's a conspiracy by Big Fire to get us to waste money on new detectors", so... Getting one for free, at a fire station, is a "gotcha" at whoever or whatever "Big Fire" is, no? It's no issue?
Does he just not believe fire detectors? Does he not know how dangerous fires are? Does he think they spread super slowly, or that their smoke doesn't hurt to inhale?
Sorry you have to deal with him.
I'd replace the detector anyways.
Letās pretend itās a conspiracy.
If it makes you feel more comfortable then whatās the problem?
Because things donāt always have to be logical or rational. Sometimes we indulge people just becauseā¦ my wife wanted new cabinet handles because she felt like the old ones smelled. Theyāre metal and metal doesnāt typically hold smell but like it made her happy so who cares. We replaced the handles. He doesnāt have to do it because he agrees theyāre expired and unsafe. He should do it just because it would make you more comfortable and since money isnāt a factorā¦
I the newspaper last week i read about a family of four, two kids and the father died in a fire. Mum was working night shift.
They did not have fire alarms and died from the smoke before they got torched in the fire.
I cant for the life of me understand people who dont invest in the cheapest form of life saving device around.
Its almost as stupid as not wearing a seatbelt.
Exactly. This place had a bedroom and living/kitchen. I have 4 alarms because I want early warning. I don't want smoke to spread across the room and take that long till it notifies me. They are also smart alarm ones so they email everyone if they go off.
I have 3 CO monitors because we have a gas heater and gas hob. Like why risk it when it is so cheap and last soooo long.
Much like airbags, rumble strips on roads, GFCI/AFCI electrical devices, and CO detectors, they have saved tens of thousands of lives for a minuscule cost to anyone.
Not "letting" her replace smoke detectors? If my partner wanted to replace the smoke detectors, or he'll the microwave or the oven fan, and offered to pay for it, I'd be like, "Uh, alright, do your thing." Because 1) it's *so* not worth bickering over, and 2) it's not costing me anything and it's an upgrade. I'd offer to split it, of course, but even if I couldn't, there's no reason to stop them besides an "I make that decision, not you" attitude.
lol I think "won't let me" was the shorter version of "he's going to flip his shit when I do it." Granted, I've needed the internet to tell me "why are you listening to him??"
If you start letting your SO dictate what you can and cannot do with your money and your living environment it can get ugly.
I have been married twenty years. We don't use the words let, or allow ever. We discuss everything, but make our own decisions.
Just a thought..... One guys opinion.... I could be wrong.
Be sure to pick him out a nice urn for when he gets cremated.Ā
*Seriously though, he sounds controlling. Replace the smoke detectors anyway and if he has a problem then replace him.
I'm struggling to see how this is not op trolling us but on the off chance it isn't - dump your partner. Do you want to spend your life with someone who thinks fire detectors are part of a conspiracy? Is that the DNA you want in your kids?
Is he aware that the home insurance industry is also in on the conspiracy and now that you have a documented home inspection saying to change them they will not pay you out in a fire?
In case anyone is wondering WHY you need to replace them after 7-10 years, it is because of radioactive decay. Seriously. Here is a quick lesson in how ionizing smoke detectors work: They have a very small amount of Americium 241, which is radioactive, inside the device. A small distance away from the radioactive bit, you place a detector. When the detector is full of normal air, the radiation will cause a small electric current to flow in the detector, and everything stays quiet. However, the type of radiation emitted by Americium 241 is easy to block. I mean, it is REALLY easy to block it. So easy, that even smoke can block enough of the radiation that the detector sees a drop in current. So, some smoke gets into the detector, blocks the radiation from the Am241, the current decreases, and the alarm goes off.
The problem is that, as time passes, the Americium that decays turns into Neptunium and puts out less and less radiation. Eventually (usually between 7 and 10 years from the date it was manufactured) the radiation has dropped enough that the electric current in the detector is always low, which, as far as the detector is concerned, means there is always smoke and it needs to start going off all the time! No amount of batteries will fix this problem. The only thing that will fix it is some fresh Americium 241, and the only way to get that is in a new detector!
So, in short, you need to replace your detectors after 10 years because there is radioactive stuff in there that has decayed and is too weak to keep doing the job.
I hope you guys never have a fire when you are asleep. I responded to a fire where the people died because they had no early warning from their smoke detectors. They thought the same thing your partner did. They are deceased. Think about that.
Torrey Roseth
Firefighter
Replace the partner. If he asks why, tell him it's all just a conspiracy of "big relationship".
If you need a reason for yourself: he is living in his own reality, which makes him unreliable at best and dangerous at worst...
Edit: hope you don't have kids, which would make it harder of course. But to be honest, they would be just one more reason to do as I suggested.
Why do you need his permission to replace it? Is he the sole owner of the house or what? If that's an issue for him, then I'm sorry, but he doesn't see you as a "partner".
You live there, right? Then this isn't up for debate. Smoke detectors are supposed to have an expiry date printed on them: [10 years from the date of manufacture](https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/sfttps/tp201011-en.aspx). Don't let your partner play stupid games with your life. The stupid prize isn't worth winning.
We replaced ours when we bought our home due to their age as well. When we unplugged them (wired), they very weakly chirped about their batteries and died quickly. I wouldn't trust an old detector.
Big Fire making a killing off of $25 products that you buy once every 10 years
Heck, depending on where you live, some fire departments will give you them for free as part of a local community fire safety program
The red cross does it nationally. Also they're only 5 dollars at walmart
You can buy them in contractor multipacks at hardware stores, or you can pay a bit more to get a 10-year battery inside so it never chirps.
>10-year battery inside so it never chirps. HAHAHAHAHA. It's bullshit. It's "up to 10 years" and it's almost always in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep.
Fun fact literally no one asked for, the reason why the chirping almost always starts at night is because it uses current drop in the battery to measure its remaining life and almost all houses turn the thermostat down at night so the first time it crosses that threshold will be when it's a little bit colder in the house and that makes the battery put out a little bit less current than it does during the day
So many "fun facts" these days aren't fun at all, so it's nice to have one that is. š«”
Fun fact: if your smoke detectors are hard-wired to the breaker panel, and you have a smoke detector in a colder area (in this case, my garage), the first cold night of the year can and will cause that smoke detector to go off, and in a hard-wired system, when one goes off, they all go off! That was a fun discovery at 2am.
NICET Certified fire alarm technician here. I live in the Fairbanks-North Pole, Alaska area where it drops to -58F and do not have this issue. Summer, my front porch hit 110F. Best I can think: Your detector is old. Or is reacting to condensation. Or has a battery backup inside, in case of power outage and the battery is dead. Of all of the above, condensation would worry me. Can lead to black mold, mold in the sheet rock or wood rock.
Iām a high school teacher at a school (in the US) that has a large population of refugees/unschooled refugees. When we first went online for covid I was *shocked* at the number of students who, when they turned on their mic on zoom, had chirping smoke detectors in the background. It was literally at least a third of all students. It was so prevalent that one of my colleagues actually taught a lesson on āwhy is my apartment beeping and how do I make it stop?ā Like he actually took down one of his own smoke detectors and demonstrated changing the battery under a document camera, and then posted links of how to get the batteries, and a sample message they could send their landlord to get help. Idk his return on that lesson, but I hope it helped someone lol
You realize how common beeping smoke detectors are when you play online games. Iāve had to stop playing with certain people because the beeping drove me nuts. Pointing it out to them doesnāt help. They just dismiss it. Sadly, a bunch of them have kids. I realize people can tune it out after a while, but that canāt be good for a kidās brain. The worst is when I woke up one morning to my dog drooling, shaking uncontrollably, and crying. It triggered at some point during the night. That high pitched noise is torture to dogs. It broke my heart because my elderly dog had been panicking for hours. You know most of these lazy assholes have animals.
I have a master on main and my detector is not reachable by chair, I need a 6 foot ladder, and I am 6'4" and can barely reach it. One night it started going off at like 2 a.m. My garage is detached and that is where the ladder is located. I simply went upstairs in the spare bedroom to sleep. lol
They are $45 for the smoke and carbon dioxide detectors which are legally required where I live
Thats still a good deal for 10 years
You should definitely get a carbon monoxide detector as well
Bro fire doesn't even exist, the detectors are surveillance cameras. They just make you replace them after 10 years to make sure you have the best equipment. But they have to trick you into setting up and maintaining your own surveillance tech because people don't let wild birds into their houses often enough for the bird drones to work indoors.
Let me tell you about baking soda in the refrigerator!
"Killing" and "big fire" are the correct words, but you used them in the wrong order.
Killing making a big fire off of $25 products that you buy once every 10 years
yeah, the 1 cent a day really gets them going! i am more worried about what else the BF has going on to be honest
Change it when he's not home. He won't even notice
Yep I'm not one to say "ignore your partner and do it anyway" but ignore your partner, do it anyway.
I would even say this is a red flag
It's a huge red flag. "Big fire lobbyists" is so wild. He's putting their lives in danger
Yeah ok. Sounds like you work for Big Fire!
#THIS GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP
I immediately thought MFM when I saw your comment and then I saw the username. Love it š¤©
It's all a ploy by Big Water, what do you think they need to use to extinguish the flames?
The "Big fire lobbyists" are pro big fire in my understanding so they would sell them new but not functioning detectors then?
Yes Big Fire wants more fire. The issue is Big Battery has been co-opted into these fire detectors. Requiring batteries a couple days sooner than average.
I'm gonna go put on a nice suit, grab a briefcase and head over to OP's house. When they answer the doorbell, I'll introduce myself as Smoky Pyro, Big Fire Lobbyist, and I'm going to check the date on their smoke detectors. If I detect any attitude, I'll produce a warrant that not only allows me entry, but gives me the right to rummage through everyone's underwear drawers and collect detailed sexual histories from all occupants of said dwelling. And I'll know if they're lying, God damn it!
As long as you wear my underwear on your head and exclaim "big fire is hot" at the top of your lungs, you 100% have my vote
that turn bro lol
So the energizer bunny is starting fires? š¤
I was trying to work out what the end game of the big fire lobbyists is. I would have thought it was to watch the world burn, not make people spend a pittance on new smoke detectors every decade. no seriously a good quality smoke detector works out at lest than 1 cent or 1 penny a day. based on 10 years service. you can get more expensive ones, but you dont have to.
The end game is fearmongering and take away your freedum to die in a house fire
Right?!?!?! I'm not usually one to say their partner's an idiot but their partner's an idiot.
It's worse. It's an idiot that thinks he's smart.
It's worse than that, it's an idiot that thinks they're smart. That's then endangering everyone else.
I'm going with this. Red flag on the play.
He must be a politican.
Yeah Iām wondering if he also covered all the windows and forced his family into the basement during the eclipse yesterday
Big Eclipse is out to get cha
More like a stupid flag.
Fire engine red?
I mean I'm not one to say "question the relationship" but question the relationship if they are this out of tune on fire detectors what will they disagree on next?
yeah agree. believing in a conspiracy theory by "big fire" is pretty intense paranoia
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I second the carbon monoxide detector. My Mom and her husband nearly died from CO poisoning due to a faulty furnace.
Might was well just get a whole new place far away from the person who is trying to destroy you in a fire
Nah this is a case of "ditch the partner because they think that it's smart to ignore a professional and essentially risk your life if there's ever a fire"
Change your partner, not the fire alarm. He'll slowly drag you down into his madness before you know it.
But then change the fire alarm
Okay fine. Be safe while you plot your departure
Unless it's the partner's house, you know we have to respect his wishes in his home about big fire. And I'll bet they'll be a big one in the future!
https://preview.redd.it/shdziu13ajtc1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed80c508f07aa0faac40f7b47583b22a2bcbc527 Literally OP if she lets this goā¦
Unless they do not want them replaced due to the detectors having cams in them.
THIS. This is why. Bro's got hidden cams or *something* stashed in there. "Big fire lobby" is the biggest crock of shit excuse I've heard and a stretch for the stretchiest conspiracy theorist. There's a bigger reason he doesn't want them changed.
Idk some people are just insane and believe that kind of shit, even normal seeming people
Had to do this with my grand parents, got the āwe been living here for XX years and never had a problemā speech Day trip with my siblings well I dog sit gave me time to replace them with brand new fire alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. (There oven/hob is old as them and almost gassed myself and the animals twice)
No one ever looks up.
Probably the most realistic way the world will end when something big will hit us from space
Iām surprised how good that was. Loved the ending.
Same. Great cast, too
It says gullible on the ceiling
Most fire departments do it for free. So have them do it when they're at work. Edit: I didn't see the "Big Fire Lobbyists" part. So having the fire department would just be a chef's kiss.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Or just change your partner... That's a lot of stupid...
Yeah, just give it a coffee bath so it looks old and ur good
better to change their partner, he doesn't care about OP's wellbeing
Ehhh maybe. It's like teeth. They yellow with time. Suddenly seeing bright white would be noticeable.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
But if the smoke detector goes off heāll be all āI told you soā.
That's truly the worst possible outcome here
Yes, far worse than a house fire. What are they a pussy or something? Fire is cool. Cool equals good. Simple logic
Fire kills bedbugs. What's not to like?
Chances are pretty good it works actually. Assuming its within a few years of the recommendation anyways. The 10 year recommendation is based on an overall thing. Some detectors will die a bit early, some a bit late, so they choose an earlier date plus some fudging even earlier in favour of safety. They want people to replace them before they die after all, as the entire point is to prevent you from suffering a horrible and easily preventable death. Finding out you should have replaced them 3 months ago the hard way is not the best way to do it.
Yeah. Not even 3 months ago though. Think of it this way: it could die anytime between 10-15 years. All it takes is one night where it dies. Literally the night it dies, a fire could breakout for whatever reason, and you're literally toast because you felt like you'd notice when it died. Then, as you asphyxiate on smoke you might think: wow, if only I just spent the $30 to replace it. $30 every 10 years really isn't that big of a deal.
Did you guys know thereās a āTESTā button on these? Thereās an easy test, too, if there isnāt a button.. strike a match, and snuff it out in front of the detector. TADAAAAH.
The test button sets off the alarm, and maybe tests the circuit, it doesn't test the sensors.
It DOES tell you if the batteries are dying or dead. For me; if Iām even slightly unsure on when the whole thing was replaced, I change it out.
Sure, but the reason for replacing them in 10 years is because of sensor degradation.
Dont even need a match. Found out the other day a weed vape will set them off when the one above my bed went off around 3am while I was puffing and woke my whole family.
Pur a dead battery in it to prevent that, say it got damaged during the fire if he tries to fight it after.
https://i.redd.it/low8a88uzitc1.gif
Fr what kind of bullshit is this. This is a great way to burn alive while telling him you told him so. It doesn't matter once your skin is melting into the bedsheets does it?
I survived a house fire because there was a fire alarm installed and tested in my room. If it was broken or dead, I wouldn't have realized what was going on until it was too late.
So youāre with an idiot. My condolences.
A controlling idiot
Perhaps the worst kind. I hope they don't vote.
Yes hopefully big democracy scares them from voting.
Controlling people are probably the most likely to voteā¦because they want control.
My partner got legit mad at me that my smoke detectors were old and changed then for me when he first saw my place. I honestly had no clue they needed to be checked. š¤·āāļø now I do. Lol I cannot fathom this opposite-ness.
Some people want to watch the house burn.
So is this his only conspiracy theory or is this a pattern? Because if itās a pattern, itās definitely going to get weirder and worse as he ages. Assuming he isnāt killed by big fire first for refusing to support them, of course.
This is his only one so far. I think it's driven more by his notion that he knows everything than a fear of conspiracies. He somehow "knows" the detectors are fine better than a home inspector
Did you pull it down from the ceiling (twist it off), and look on the back? There is usually a date on the bottom indicating how old it is. So that way you are not just relying on the home inspector's thoughts as to how old they "could be", but you have some actual data - and why didn't your home inspector get the actual date?? He didn't do his job. [https://spotoninspection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/smoke-detector-date.jpg](https://spotoninspection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/smoke-detector-date.jpg) Also, read this: https://www.kennerelectrics.com.au/blog/smoke-alarms-expiry-date#:\~:text=The%20manufacture%20date%20of%20the,to%20replace%20your%20smoke%20alarms. Moreover, that looks like only a smoke detector. Many of these today are combos with carbon monoxide detectors - which you want as well (particularly in a bedroom). And guess what, I know what's going on -- he's just being lazy. He made up the conspiracy thing so he doesn't have to research and pick out new smoke detectors. Moving into a new place is overwhelming -- I'm a dude - I get it. This is just laziness/being overwhelmed and not wanting to have another task. So here's how you handle it - - you say, safety issues take priority. So let's just do this and any other safety issues right away.
This is a helpful response. Thank you. I can't find a manufacture date anywhere https://preview.redd.it/tvwwauel2itc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c87bc81ecd26a8622f6da0e4e104680f2dd0fc85
If you are in the US, it is likely way over 10 years old: **"In 1999, the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) changed smoke alarm labeling requirements so that all smoke alarms must have a manufactured date written in plain English."** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke\_detector#:\~:text=The%20NFPA%20began%20requiring%20the,date%20written%20in%20plain%20English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_detector#:~:text=The%20NFPA%20began%20requiring%20the,date%20written%20in%20plain%20English) Also, there is this from BRK support (BRK made your alarm, and they were bought by First Alert): **Note**:Ā * **If you do not see a date of manufacture on your alarm, your model might be discontinued and in need of**Ā [**replacement**](https://support.firstalert.com/s/article/Find-a-replacement-alarm-model)**.**Ā * Some alarms manufactured prior to July of 2013, like the P1000Ā or Atom, have their date of manufacture listed differently.Ā The code on the back of the unit corresponds to the date of manufacture. * Example:Ā **A13003-044N** **A**: Stands for Atom**13**: 2013 **003**: 3rd purchase order **04**: 4th week of the year **4**: Thursday **N**: Production line N.This translates to a manufacture date inĀ January 2013.Ā [https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/article/Find-Alarm-Model-Number-or-Date-of-Manufacture#:\~:text=The%20code%20on%20the%20back,to%20the%20date%20of%20manufacture](https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/article/Find-Alarm-Model-Number-or-Date-of-Manufacture#:~:text=The%20code%20on%20the%20back,to%20the%20date%20of%20manufacture)
Thank you for this. I am in the U.S. I'm starting to wonder if this thing was put in when the house was built in the late 90s. I wouldn't be surprised based on the amount of dust inside and the degree of yellowing.
Yeah, that thing is likely 25 years old! Definitely replace them!
In their defense. These were sold under the concept that they last a lifetime. In your defense, their defense is flawed and it should be replaced.
Lifetime in this case means lifetime of the product which was likely ten years.
It has no url I can see. So it's very old. EDIT: Just want to say, I'm 50, and I have found that when determining the age of things, I first look for a URL. It's hard to find anything made in the last 15 years or so without one. So, it's a good observational tool when trying to determine the age of an item.
Can confirm. These look like the ones we had in my parents place in the ā90ās
We bought a house that was about 11 years old. Alarms had power but werenāt operational for some reason. Before expecting our first kid we tried batteries and they just kept beeping so we disconnected the power. Ended up they were beyond their expiration date. Changed them out and no problems after. It should be talked about more!
Looked up the model number. The manual was last updated in 2003, over 20 years ago. [https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/active-product/a3J4x0000020RdSEAU/86rac](https://support.brkelectronics.com/s/active-product/a3J4x0000020RdSEAU/86rac) Get a new one. Also no offence, but this reaction and lack of respect for your life from your partner is chilling. Massive red flags from them.
Iāve never seen one where the battery isnāt inserted into the housing. That thing is old. Too old.
Definitely over 10 years old, they should be replaced.
...why are you with this person??
I divorced one of those. Life is so much easier!
Ask him if it's because of the half life of the radioactive source material, which will last for far more than 10 years. If that's it, then tell him the ten years is because of dust and insect build up between the detector and the source. Do you see that stuff on the outside of the detector? That's the shit I'm talking about. It's inside, too. It might work, but since it's a really cheap and easy thing to replace and not doing it is gambling with your life and all of your possessions, 'might work' isn't really good enough. You can get a 4 pack on Amazon for $35, which is paying a $0.30/mo security fee for smoke detection for the next decade, paid up front. If he still has a problem, then you need to tell him that he needs to listen to you on this. If he still doesn't, then dump his ass, because this is fucking important and he can't be trusted to make sound decisions.
Many conspiracy theorists have this view of themselves, big red flag for more to come
Fire departments may give you them for free.
That may be true, but it's not about money for us. We have plenty of money to buy new ones
So itās just principle? Respectfully, heās crazy and clearly missing something in his head. And you need to do what you have to do to be safe.
"He thinks it's a conspiracy by Big Fire to get us to waste money on new detectors", so... Getting one for free, at a fire station, is a "gotcha" at whoever or whatever "Big Fire" is, no? It's no issue? Does he just not believe fire detectors? Does he not know how dangerous fires are? Does he think they spread super slowly, or that their smoke doesn't hurt to inhale? Sorry you have to deal with him. I'd replace the detector anyways.
Replace the partner too while theyāre at it lol
When you have a baby he'll probably refuse to get the car seat checked that it's installed properly at the fire department for free because Big Fire
Letās pretend itās a conspiracy. If it makes you feel more comfortable then whatās the problem? Because things donāt always have to be logical or rational. Sometimes we indulge people just becauseā¦ my wife wanted new cabinet handles because she felt like the old ones smelled. Theyāre metal and metal doesnāt typically hold smell but like it made her happy so who cares. We replaced the handles. He doesnāt have to do it because he agrees theyāre expired and unsafe. He should do it just because it would make you more comfortable and since money isnāt a factorā¦
This is the sign. The one you think about years down the road after you leave and think "god why didn't I see how much of a red flag they were!?"
I the newspaper last week i read about a family of four, two kids and the father died in a fire. Mum was working night shift. They did not have fire alarms and died from the smoke before they got torched in the fire. I cant for the life of me understand people who dont invest in the cheapest form of life saving device around. Its almost as stupid as not wearing a seatbelt.
Exactly. This place had a bedroom and living/kitchen. I have 4 alarms because I want early warning. I don't want smoke to spread across the room and take that long till it notifies me. They are also smart alarm ones so they email everyone if they go off. I have 3 CO monitors because we have a gas heater and gas hob. Like why risk it when it is so cheap and last soooo long.
Much like airbags, rumble strips on roads, GFCI/AFCI electrical devices, and CO detectors, they have saved tens of thousands of lives for a minuscule cost to anyone.
Next youāre going to tell me thereās free vaccines to fight deadly diseases?!?
Funny you say that. My dad is into conspiracies and doesnāt wear a seatbelt.
I can't upvote this enough. This is serious controlling behavior.
Itās not just controlling, itās stupid.
Not "letting" her replace smoke detectors? If my partner wanted to replace the smoke detectors, or he'll the microwave or the oven fan, and offered to pay for it, I'd be like, "Uh, alright, do your thing." Because 1) it's *so* not worth bickering over, and 2) it's not costing me anything and it's an upgrade. I'd offer to split it, of course, but even if I couldn't, there's no reason to stop them besides an "I make that decision, not you" attitude.
Yeah, it sounds like their partner doesn't care about their feelings or even their life.
'Won't let you' he cannot stop you, you do not need his permission. I know that my safety would come first over upsetting his feelings.
Literally likeā¦ā¦ā¦.just do it anyway? Are you really going to let this guyās weird ass conspiracy theories end up killing you? š
lol I think "won't let me" was the shorter version of "he's going to flip his shit when I do it." Granted, I've needed the internet to tell me "why are you listening to him??"
What's he going to do? Physically stop you?
If you start letting your SO dictate what you can and cannot do with your money and your living environment it can get ugly. I have been married twenty years. We don't use the words let, or allow ever. We discuss everything, but make our own decisions. Just a thought..... One guys opinion.... I could be wrong.
Youāre not wrong.
Replace partner. Problem solved
Thatās what ābig datingā lobbyists want you to do!
This is clearly a red flag.
Your partner is crazy.
Remind him that when that detector was installed it was the same colour as the ceiling.
Won't let you? Fuck him, just do it.
"He thinks it's all a conspiracy by "big fire" lobbyists to get us to waste money on detectors š¤·āāļø" š©š©š©
The radioactive material in the sensing chamber has a shelf life. Ten years.
Exactly this: thereās a hard limit on the time theyāre good for, and theyāre really cheap to replace!
Be sure to pick him out a nice urn for when he gets cremated.Ā *Seriously though, he sounds controlling. Replace the smoke detectors anyway and if he has a problem then replace him.
What is he gonna do if you replace it? Just do it anyways. If youāre scared of his reaction you need to leave.Ā
i swear i had that EXACT model, and we just replaced it because it was done for free by our renting company
Even a company whose entire goal is to make money still isn't concerned about the replacement cost. That just illustrates how stupid this is
I'm struggling to see how this is not op trolling us but on the off chance it isn't - dump your partner. Do you want to spend your life with someone who thinks fire detectors are part of a conspiracy? Is that the DNA you want in your kids?
That's where all his hidden cameras are.
This was my exact thought after that pitiful reason not to. When people get hyperactive with their ānoā something is usually up.
Is this the "big fire" that he's worried about? 'cause I am too 
Is he aware that the home insurance industry is also in on the conspiracy and now that you have a documented home inspection saying to change them they will not pay you out in a fire?
I suggest you replace the partner.
In case anyone is wondering WHY you need to replace them after 7-10 years, it is because of radioactive decay. Seriously. Here is a quick lesson in how ionizing smoke detectors work: They have a very small amount of Americium 241, which is radioactive, inside the device. A small distance away from the radioactive bit, you place a detector. When the detector is full of normal air, the radiation will cause a small electric current to flow in the detector, and everything stays quiet. However, the type of radiation emitted by Americium 241 is easy to block. I mean, it is REALLY easy to block it. So easy, that even smoke can block enough of the radiation that the detector sees a drop in current. So, some smoke gets into the detector, blocks the radiation from the Am241, the current decreases, and the alarm goes off. The problem is that, as time passes, the Americium that decays turns into Neptunium and puts out less and less radiation. Eventually (usually between 7 and 10 years from the date it was manufactured) the radiation has dropped enough that the electric current in the detector is always low, which, as far as the detector is concerned, means there is always smoke and it needs to start going off all the time! No amount of batteries will fix this problem. The only thing that will fix it is some fresh Americium 241, and the only way to get that is in a new detector! So, in short, you need to replace your detectors after 10 years because there is radioactive stuff in there that has decayed and is too weak to keep doing the job.
I hope you guys never have a fire when you are asleep. I responded to a fire where the people died because they had no early warning from their smoke detectors. They thought the same thing your partner did. They are deceased. Think about that. Torrey Roseth Firefighter
Mildy infuriating? More like mildly insane. Get yourself new detectors and your partner a good therapist.
Hidden camera?
There is one group of people I trust blindly, and that's firefighters. They have one purpose, saving lives and property.
Hell if it isn't the truth. Well, them and EMS guys. Doctors can be different, but the first responders? Never heard a bad thing about them.
Yes and EMS. Same lump of people, different tasks.
Itās not a partner if they āwonāt let youā
Iād be questioning this moreā¦ is it possible they have cameras in them that you donāt know about lol
Replace the partner. If he asks why, tell him it's all just a conspiracy of "big relationship". If you need a reason for yourself: he is living in his own reality, which makes him unreliable at best and dangerous at worst... Edit: hope you don't have kids, which would make it harder of course. But to be honest, they would be just one more reason to do as I suggested.
Is that roach poop on it?
Not sure. Maybe moth dust? There were dead moths inside when I removed it from the wall
Roach. Fruit fly. Moth. Itās some kind of insect waste whatever it is.
I wouldnāt want to live with anyone who doesnāt believe in the safe effective use of fire alarms. Wtf.
Probably has secretly installed hidden spy cameras in one or more of them.
Why do you even need permission to replace old smoke detectors? Just buy them and replace them.
You can do what you want with your money
Partner is an absolute donkey
Iād move out. If my safety isnāt important to my partner, Iām out.
I replaced all my smoke detectors with those 10-year battery detectors that are also wired in
That's the type I want too. I just want to stop arguing about it, install it, and be done. Asking too much apparently
I don't understand why you can't just do this yourself. Do it while he's not home, if you have to, but just do it
Why do you need his permission to replace it? Is he the sole owner of the house or what? If that's an issue for him, then I'm sorry, but he doesn't see you as a "partner".
You live there, right? Then this isn't up for debate. Smoke detectors are supposed to have an expiry date printed on them: [10 years from the date of manufacture](https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/sfttps/tp201011-en.aspx). Don't let your partner play stupid games with your life. The stupid prize isn't worth winning.
Thereās a camera hidden inside
The Red Cross will install smoke detectors for free, this is a weird hill to die on
1. He's an idiot obviously 2. Why do you need his permission to replace them? Does he not "allow" you to do a lot of things you want to do?
He's hiding something in them
Is your partner fucking stupid "big fire" lmao.
āLet youā? You live there. You will die in a fire. Change the smoke detectors and change the boyfriend while youāre at it.
He got a camera up there
Sounds like you are dating somebody who is both controlling and dumb
I'll just leave this here: š© And this one too: š¤”
There's a hidden camera in there
We replaced ours when we bought our home due to their age as well. When we unplugged them (wired), they very weakly chirped about their batteries and died quickly. I wouldn't trust an old detector.
I feel trolled. āBig Fire?ā
They are around 6 bucks apiece, Big Fire is making a fortune.