I last replaced my old smoke alarms with the Kidde 10 year alarm - supposedly with 10 year battery.
Heck, I have 9 foot ceilings and its not easy to check the alarms which are within about 1 foot of the ceiling.
So I don't remember when I replaced it and failed to have a schedule for checking. I expected low battery to chirp intermittently like my old battery alarms.
So I pulled it off the wall today and pressed the test button... nothing.
Found out you have to hold it for 5 seconds before it beeps.
The label on the back says I should check weekly. Hah! who does that on a alarm 9 feet in the air? Isn't that a bit optimistic?
Anyway I made an install note on the back and it says Jan 2010,
The instructions say it flashes the LED once every 45 seconds. Yeah, its very dim and hard to see and you have to be perfectly in front if it... low view angle. No way to see from the floor below.
Allegedly the ionization source in these things only lasts 10 years.
So, it appears that they are both still operating but 11 years old. Guess I need to order two new ones.
Don't forget to test frequently.
Heck, I have 9 foot ceilings and its not easy to check the alarms which are within about 1 foot of the ceiling.
So I don't remember when I replaced it and failed to have a schedule for checking. I expected low battery to chirp intermittently like my old battery alarms.
So I pulled it off the wall today and pressed the test button... nothing.
Found out you have to hold it for 5 seconds before it beeps.
The label on the back says I should check weekly. Hah! who does that on a alarm 9 feet in the air? Isn't that a bit optimistic?
Anyway I made an install note on the back and it says Jan 2010,
The instructions say it flashes the LED once every 45 seconds. Yeah, its very dim and hard to see and you have to be perfectly in front if it... low view angle. No way to see from the floor below.
Allegedly the ionization source in these things only lasts 10 years.
So, it appears that they are both still operating but 11 years old. Guess I need to order two new ones.
Don't forget to test frequently.
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