We have a split level house. 4 floors if you opt to include the basment. We have 6 smoke detectors. 2 electric, 2 10-year and 2 we replace the batteries every April and October 1st. The smoke detector at the head of the bedroom floor stairway has always been a PITA. So sensitive it goes off every time we broil steaks.
My husband made some bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for lunch today. After lunch he went outside to cut some wood, I cleaned up and then went upstairs and took a nap. W/my trusty VPAP Auto w/2L of 02 bled in.
I woke up to my husband screaming what are you burning? What are you burning? I didn't even see or hear anything until I hit the hallway and looked in the 'puter room (that's where the 02 concentrator is). The room is saturated in smoke! I turned the 02 concentrator off and saw the hallway and living were saturated w/smoke!!
I ran downstairs and hubby was turning the stove off and removing the pan of bacon grease - or what HAD been bacon grease.
NOT ONE SMOKE DETECTOR WENT OFF! 3 different types of smoke detectors, 3 different brands, those w/batteries had fresh batteries on the first of this month. One that's always been super-senstive to using the kitchen broiler despite it is in the stairway. AND NOT ONE WENT OFF! He double checked each one and the "checker" went off on each one when he checked them.
The next time I hear a news report of a house fire w/casulties and smoke detectors that weren't working ..... you best better believe that "I" won't believe it was due to negligence of the home owner!!!
The very REASON we have a split level home is because my sister had a house fire that started in the basement in the wiring of an old refrigerator. And we got burned out of our mobile home whilst we were preparing the property to build a house due to a faulty gas line. Plus a neighbor got burned out of their home due to children playing w/matches. All in a 5 year period. W/our split level any child could just climb out a window onto a porch roof w/a short drop to the ground. I wouldn't even let my daughter baby-sit for a neighbor who had a home w/all those high little windows and deadlocks on her front and back door. And we end up w/SIX smoke detectors, one of which can't tolerate a little bit of smoke from the oven's broiler but couldn't detect bacon grease burning on the kitchen stove.
Hell of a way to wake up from a nap!!!
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