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Kidde Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm Recall

3/23/2018

 
Kidde Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm
This is what the model of Kidde Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm looks like.
Kidde has a new recall on some models of their dual sensor smoke alarms. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a press release with the details.

Alarm Models Affected: PI2010 and PI9010

Dates of Manufacture: 10 SEP 2016 to 13 OCT 2017

Kidde has a website dedicate to the recall with directions on how to check your smoke alarm. 

Location of model number and manufacture date on back side of Kidde smoke alarm.
Location of model number and manufacture date on back side of Kidde smoke alarm.

Replacing a Smoke Alarm

7/7/2017

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Is your smoke alarm more than 10 years old? Time to replace and while you are at it, I recommend you upgrade your smoke alarm to dual sensor models that have both ionization and photoelectric capabilities. Read on below for step by step instructions on how to replace an existing hardwired smoke alarm in your home. 
Old and new smoke alarms
Old ionization only smoke alarm on the left. Newly installed dual ionization and photoelectric smoke alarm on the right.
Tools needed:
-Non contact electrical tester
-Phillips head screwdriver

Parts Needed:
-New smoke alarm - for this project I am replacing a hardwired and interconnected smoke alarm system. The parts that come in the box are a new alarm body, a ceiling bracket and a new wire pigtail with connection adapter.
​-Wire Nuts
Smoke alarm parts - body, bracket and connection pigtail.
New smoke alarm parts. Alarm body in upper left. Ceiling bracket on right. New wire pigtail with connection adapter on the lower left.
These directions are specific to to replacing a hardwired (connected to household AC current) and interconnected smoke detectors. If you don't feel comfortable working with electrical wires consider having a qualified party do this work. 

1. Turn off the circuit breaker controlling the circuit for your fire alarm.

2. Remove the existing smoke alarm from the ceiling bracket.

​3. Test at the smoke alarm wire pigtail to ensure that the power is off.
​
Removing a smoke alarm from the ceiling bracket.
Step 1: Turn off the circuit breaker feeding your smoke alarm circuit. Step 2: Remove the existing alarm from the ceiling bracket.
Using a non contact tester on a smoke alarm power circuit.
Step 3: Testing the circuit. This one is still live as indicated by the red light on the tester.
Using a non contact tester on a smoke alarm power circuit.
Step 3: Correct circuit breaker has been turned off. Tester now shows green meaning no power in the wire.
Step 4: Remove the pigtail wires from the back of the smoke alarm.

​Step 5: Loosen the screws holding the existing bracket to the ceiling junction box. Remove the bracket.
Back of smoke alarm body with pigtail connection being removed
Step 4: Remove the pigtail bracket from the back of the alarm. You may have to squeeze tabs on the side of the bracket to remove.
Removing an existing smoke alarm bracket from the ceiling.
Step 5: Loosen the screws and remove the existing bracket from the ceiling. It may take a little effort if the ceiling paint has adhered to the back of the bracket.
Step 6: Pull the existing wires out of the junction box. There should be a black wire, white wire and a red wire in the box. The pigtail connection to the alarm will have a black wire, white wire and either a red or orange wire. Remove the wire nuts and separate the old pigtail from the ceiling wiring.

Step 7: Match up the pigtail connector wiring to the existing house wires. Black attaches to black. White to white wire and Red or orange to red.
​
​Step 8: Make a connection between the pigtail wires and the house wires using a wire nut. Make sure that the wire colors match.
Wire connections pulled from ceiling junction box.
Step 6: Pull the wire connections out of the junction box. Once free, remove the wire nuts from each connection to release the old pigtail wires.
Matching wire colors.
Step 7: Match the wires. Black to black. White to White. Orange or Red on the pigtail to red in the junction box.
Smoke alarm pigtail connected to house wires.
Step 8: Connect the pigtail to the matching wires from the junction box. Secure the connections with wire nuts.
Step 9: Tuck the house wires and connections back in to the junction box. 

Step 10: Thread the pigtail connection through the ceiling bracket.

Step 11: Secure the new ceiling bracket to the junction box and ceiling by replacing and tightening the screws that were loosened in step 5.
House wires put back in to junction box.
Step 9: Clean up the wires by tucking them back in to the junction box.
Ceiling bracket for smoke alarm.
Step 10: Place the smoke alarm pigtail through the ceiling bracket.
Smoke alarm bracket with pigtail hanging.
Step 11: Secure the ceiling bracket to the junction box. Leave the pigtail hanging.
Step 12: This step is optional but highly recommended. Write the date of installation for both the battery and smoke alarm prior to installing in the bracket. This will make it easy in the future to know when the battery and alarm need to be replaced. 
Smoke alarm battery marked with installation date.
Step 12 (Optional): Mark the battery with the date of install. Easy to keep track of when to change it next year.
Smoke alarm marked with date of installation.
Step 12 (Optional): Mark the smoke alarm body with date of installation. Helps to track life expectancy (10 years from this date).
Step 13: Connect the pigtail adapter to the back of the smoke alarm.

Step 14: Gently place the pigtail in to the junction box while seating the smoke alarm body. 
Attaching pigtail to the smoke alarm body.
Step 13: Attach the pigtail adapter to the smoke alarm body.
Smoke alarm installation
Step 14: Push the pigtail in to the junction box while seating the alarm body in the ceiling bracket.
Step 15: Seat the alarm body in the bracket. Twist to seat. You may have a ribbon to pull to activate the alarm. Pull gently and steadily to remove the ribbon and activate the alarm. 

Step 16: Cover your ears and push the test button to make sure that the new alarm works.
Seating a smoke alarm in the bracket.
Step 15: Seat the alarm and twist to secure.
Pulling the activation strip on a smoke alarm.
Step 15: Pull gently and steadily on the activation ribbon (if present) to remove.
Remember to test the smoke alarm after installation.
Step 16: Push the test button to see if the alarm works. This is an interconnected system so activating this alarm should activate all the other alarms in the house.
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Finding Smoke Alarm Information

6/30/2017

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What kind of smoke alarm is in your house? Odds are is that your current alarm is an ionization type. How old is your alarm? If your house is over 10 years old it's likely that your alarm is past the recommended replacement date. This post shows you how to check what type and how old your smoke alarm is. 
Smoke alarms should be located on each floor and inside all sleeping locations.
Step 1: Find a smoke alarm. These should be located on each floor and inside all sleeping locations.
Hand removing a smoke alarm body from the baseplate.
Step 2: Remove the alarm body from the baseplate with a counter clockwise twist.
Hand removing an alarm body from its baseplate.
Step 3: Careful with the wires inside an interconnected system. Look at the back of the alarm body for the age stamp and information on Americium 241.
Step 1: Find a smoke alarm. There should be one on every floor of your home and inside every bedroom. 

Step 2: Remove the working part of the alarm from the base plate. Generally this is accomplished by twisting the alarm body counterclockwise until it releases. If you have a hardwired system (all the alarms are interconnected) be careful of the wire connections inside the junction box.

Step 3: Look at the information plate on the rear of the alarm body. You are looking for a date of manufacture and a statement warning of the presence of Americium 241. The date of manufacture will tell you how old the alarm is. If over 10 years old, it is recommended to replace it. If the alarm contains Americium 241 it has an ionization sensor and is best at detecting flaming type of fires. It is possible that it is a dual unit but likely that it is a single sensor system. Dual type units usually have that information printed on the front.

Step 4: Replace the alarm body in the baseplate with a clockwise motion. 

Step 5: If your alarm is over 10 years old, plan on heading to the local big box store to look at replacements. It is helpful to note the brand and model of your current smoke alarm to aid in finding the correct replacement model. 
Information plate on the back of a fire alarm giving date of manufacture.
Alarm body information. Date of manufacture is AUG 27 of 2001. There is a warning statement about the presence of Americium 241 - this is an ionization type alarm. This alarm is over 10 years old, needs to be replaced.
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Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

6/23/2017

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Photoelectric smoke alarms are not as common in modern construction. They work on a different principle than the more common ionization alarms (see infographic below). Photoelectric alarms are better suited to detecting smoldering type of fires in a home.

Just like the post last week on ionization alarms, the takeaway for a homeowner is to consider a dual type of alarm instead of relying on just one method to detect fires in the home. You don't get to choose the type of fire that may affect your home. Dual type smoke alarms that combine both ionization and photoelectric sensors are the best choice for any alarms you are considering replacing or upgrading.
Infographic describing how a photoelectric smoke alarm works.
How photoelectric smoke alarms work. Infographic courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association.
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Ionization Smoke Alarms

6/16/2017

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Ionization smoke alarms are very common in the US. It's likely that the current smoke alarms in your house fall in to this category. These type of alarms rely on a tiny amount of a radioactive substance called Americium 241 to help detect smoke particles in the air (see the infographic below for details).

Ionization smoke alarms are best at detecting a flaming type of fire. They do not work as well as detecting a smoldering fire in the house. An ionization smoke alarm does provide a warning for fires it can detect it may not be the best choice to cover all potential types of house fires. A better option is a dual function smoke alarm - one that has both ionization and photoelectric sensors. Look for a post next week that explores photoelectric type alarms.
How an ionization smoke alarm works. Infographic from the NFPA.
How an Ionization Smoke Alarm works. Infographic courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association.
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Residential Smoke Alarm Overview

6/9/2017

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Good video embedded below about the basics of home smoke alarms. Great information from the National Fire Protection Agency. If you are planning on upgrading your smoke alarms keep the recommendation of a combo unit that includes both photoelectric and ionization detection of fires in the home. 
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Smoke Alarms

6/2/2017

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Smoke alarms - out of sight and out of mind until the battery goes bad. The only time most people think about them are when you are trying to figure out which alarm is chirping incessantly.

Do you have the right number in your house and in the correct locations? Smoke alarms are required on every floor of a home, outside each separate sleeping area and inside every bedroom. Interconnected alarms are the best - they can alert you to a problem in a different part of the home. 

Batteries in smoke alarms need to be replaced yearly. Smoke alarms should be tested monthly to ensure proper operation. Smoke alarms have a useful life of about 10 years before they need replacement. This may seem like a daunting task but most are designed to be easy swapped out. Look for a post in the next few weeks about inspecting and replacing a common type of smoke alarm in houses built in the early 2000's. 
Infographic from US Fire Administration describing importance of fire alarms in a home.
Fire alarms are needed on every level of a home and within every bedroom. Infographic courtesy of the US Fire Administration.
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    Brian Jovag, owner of Jovag Home Inspection.

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