Smoke detectors?

[tjkubota93]

Thanks. Combo smoke/CO or combo photoelectric/ionizing?

These have been less aggravating than previous ones

 

[ultrarunner]

Constant Property Management problem... I always have spares on hand in extra batteries.

Required to have one per level plus one for each sleeping room... some 1000 square foot home require 5 detectors to meet HUD.

Problem is it is very rare to find a home with all working on the next visit... a few times all have been disabled... sad when the property owner cares more about well being than the head of household...

Some families tend to fry for every meal... these are the ones that disable most...

 

[tjkubota93]

Constant Property Management problem... I always have spares on hand in extra batteries.

Required to have one per level plus one for each sleeping room... some 1000 square foot home require 5 detectors to meet HUD.

Problem is it is very rare to find a home with all working on the next visit... a few times all have been disabled... sad when the property owner cares more about well being than the head of household...

Some families tend to fry for every meal... these are the ones that disable most...

I'm gonna move in with them. My wife only frys chicken a few times a year.

 

[ultrarunner]

I grew up in a home where baked was the rule... not counting a few things in a skillet...

The homes I speak of have virtual deep fryers of grease on the stove... over the years these are the same ones with Grease Fires too...

I hate to say it but starting around 45 the health problems multiply...

 

[N2DFire]

I'm the OP who started this thread. An alternate title may have been "help me pick the right type of smoke detector." I thought I'd did a pretty good job of outlining my needs and issues, but I haven't gotten much in the way of specific advice so far. Any thoughts about what type/brand I should be looking at?

Ionization Smoke Detectors are best at detecting the small particles typical of fast, flaming fires. But in our tests, all tested poorly for detecting smoky, smoldering fires. Ionization units are prone to false alarms from burnt food and steam, so don't mount them near a kitchen or bathroom.

Photoelectric Smoke Detectors are best at detecting the large particles typical of smoky, smoldering fires but poor at detecting fast, flaming fires. Photoelectric units are less prone to false alarms from burnt food, so they may be a better fit in kitchen areas.

Dual-Sensor Smoke Detectors combine ionization and photoelectric technology to detect both flaming and smoldering fires, offering you the best protection and saving you the hassle of installing two separate smoke detectors. But you may still need to install carbon monoxide detectors, if appropriate for your home.
Source: Best Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector Buying Guide - Consumer Reports

More Info: How to Choose a Smoke Detector: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

The homes I speak of have virtual deep fryers of grease on the stove... over the years these are the same ones with Grease Fires too...

You might look into these also. There are a couple different manufacturers out there, this is just the first one I found so this isn't an "endorsement" for a particular unit.
Home - Stovetop Firestop

If you do look into these, contact your insurance carrier and ask if they will offer you any discounts for having these installed. I know some give discounts for full sprinkler systems, but not sure about these.
Worth a call, worst they can do is say no.

 

[bruceha2000]

Constant Property Management problem... I always have spares on hand in extra batteries.

Required to have one per level plus one for each sleeping room... some 1000 square foot home require 5 detectors to meet HUD.

Problem is it is very rare to find a home with all working on the next visit... a few times all have been disabled... sad when the property owner cares more about well being than the head of household...

Some families tend to fry for every meal... these are the ones that disable most...

Do the stove vent hoods in these units exhaust into the kitchen or outdoors? Really shouldn't be smoke if they are vented outside. Of course the screens in the hoods are likely caked with grease and the hood can't function properly in any case.

 

[ultrarunner]

Those with hoods vent outside... but the grease just drips from some of them.

A few are 1920's homes with big kitchens and wedgewood stoves with no hood... hood were not really a thing way back when.

Even with hoods... some never turn them on... saying they suck all the heat out of the house.

 

[Mighty Dodge]

Here in MD the new law requires detectors to be replaced every ten years. Battery powered detectors must be tamper proof lithium ion powered. I put one in this year. It's supposed to let you know when the batteries getting to end of life around the ten year mark. Cost 18.00 bucks.

John