CPSC, Universal Security Instruments Announce Recall of Smoke Alarms. WASHINGTON, D.C. In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Universal Security Instruments Inc., of Owings Mills, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 34,000 smoke alarms. Many fires start in the garage. Knowing whether to have a smoke alarm in the garage, as well as the attic, is important. The US Fire Administration / FEMA and fire professionals have now established codes and recommendations on smoke alarms and heat detectors for garages and attics. USI 1204 Smoke Detector Smoke Detector, Ionization Sensor, 120V AC, Wire-In, Size: 5.63. May 25, 2000 CPSC, Universal Security Instruments Announce Recall of Smoke Alarms. WASHINGTON, D.C. In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Universal Security Instruments Inc., of Owings Mills, Md., is voluntarily recalling about 34,000 smoke alarms.
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The US Fire Administration / FEMA recommends that you have a heat detector rather than a smoke alarm in your garage. Another location in a home where you should have a heat detector rather than a smoke alarm is the attic.
Smoke alarms are not designed for garages and attics and are much more likely to fail than a heat detector. Getting the right type of detector or alarm in the right places can save your home and your life.
Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms are designed to provide people an early warning sign of a fire so that they have time to escape the fire; they do this through sensing smoke and sounding an alarm.
Fire officials recognize that all fires are not alike, so at times, they break them down into two basic categories: 1) “Fast Flame Fires” and 2) “Smoldering Fires.”
Because of the basic differences between the two types of fires, smoke alarms are designed to react more quickly to one type than the other.
- Ionization type – Generally these alarms use “ions,” or electrically charged particles, to help detect smoke in the air and are considered best for “Fast Flame Fires.” Presently the majority of smoke alarms in the US are of this type; however, the trend is towards the combination type smoke alarm.
- Photo electric type – When smoke enters the optical chamber of this alarm and crosses the path of the light beam, some light is scattered by the smoke particles, directing it at the sensor and thus activating the alarm. Considered best for smoldering types of fires.
Combination type A combination or dual sensing alarm has both technologies incorporated into it; both the Ionization technology and the photo electric technology. The combination ones are usually the more expensive of the three types, however, they are becoming much more popular and in some building jurisdictions are now required. Smoke alarms have become increasingly important because times to escape a fire in a home have shortened tremendously. (Learn why)
Heat detectors
Heat detectors are designed to minimize property damage by a change in temperature caused by a fire and thought of as a protector of property. Heat detectors come in two basic types:
- One that recognizes the rate of temperature change and when the temperature changes too rapidly, it will trigger the alarm.
- The other has a specific set point in temperature that triggers the alarm. i.e 155 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat detectors responds to the heat of a fire, not the smoke of a fire.
Reasons for Not using smoke alarms in garages and attics
Smoke alarms may fail in temperatures below 30 degrees or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit
The majority of smoke alarms manufactures recommend that their smoke alarms be used in areas where the temperature does not go below 30 degrees Fahrenheit or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, for their product may not operate properly or may fail. Attics and garages both reach temperatures that are outside the range limitations of most smoke alarms. Note that there are a few manufactures who do make detectors for a wider range of temperatures i.e. they will go from -15 to + 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Smoke alarms are more subject to particles and contamination
Garages and attics tend to have more dust and particles in the air than rooms of a house, for most homes have an air filter on their furnace or A/C system. These filters help keep a home’s air much cleaner than the air in the attic or garage. Additionally, there is a much less likelihood that insects and other small creatures will get into an alarm in the house than in the garage or attic.
Usi 1209 Smoke Detector
Corrosive fumes are unlikely to be found in the house, but more likely to be found in the garage. Cans, bottles and containers with chemicals may leak or not have lids secured tightly down, thus slowly releasing toxic and corrosive fumes. Exhaust from car engines also contributes to the problem.
High humidity
High humidity in the air may falsely set off smoke alarms because many smoke alarms cannot distinguish between light smoke particles and heavy moisture particles in the air.
Heat alarms are engineered to be much less affected by the above conditions.
Tip
Avoid installing a heat alarm near fluorescent lights, for the electrical noise (interference) and flickering from the lights may affect the alarm’s operation. Also, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Bottom Line
The majority of us do not take the time to fully read the specifications and limitations of smoke alarms or even the installation instructions of the ones we install. Therefore, we often use the wrong product for what we want to accomplish. It would be wise to follow the advice of the professionals and the US Fire Administration; also it is important to remember that that codes may differ somewhat from one building jurisdiction to another.
It is important to remember that our garages and attics often reach temperatures below 30 degrees or above 100 degrees, especially our attics in the summer time. Secondly, many fires start in the garage and that is one of the reasons that building codes require fire rated doors and wall assemblies between the garage and the rest of the house.
Additional Resources
When do you need a permit and what are the building codes?
Smoke alarms that are put in the wrong locations may fail. Know where to and not to put your smoke alarms.
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More than 1,900 customers were without power after historically cold temperatures hit McHenry County on Wednesday, a ComEd spokesperson said.
More than 600 outages were reported in the city of McHenry alone, and more than 100 outages were reported in the Bull Valley area, according to ComEd’s outage map and city officials.
Most areas had power restored by 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
McHenry County remained under a wind chill warning Wednesday morning. The temperature was minus 25 degrees about 8:15 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. It climbed to about 15 degrees below zero Wednesday afternoon.
ComEd spokesman John Schoen said most of the outages were a result of the cold temperatures or windy conditions Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
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In the Chicago suburbs, representatives observed tree branches hitting power lines, downed transformers and rolling outages, he said.
“The cold is uncomfortable and really not safe, and we’re doing everything we can to get the power up,” Schoen said.
In response, city officials opened City Hall, 333 S. Green St., as a 24-hour warming center.
McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett posted on Facebook that the McHenry Downtown Theater, 1208 N. Green St., and the McHenry Police Department,
333 S. Green St., also would be available Wednesday as warming centers.
Jett said the theater was opened to give children and families a more comfortable space to warm up, but it only would serve as a warming center until power was restored. The police department, which is part of the McHenry Municipal Center, will be a 24-hour shelter.
“It’s great to see the community come together,” Jett said.
Barbara Papisan lives out of her car and splits her time between Public Action to Deliver Shelter organizations in McHenry and Lake counties.
After finding out about City Hall’s availability as a warming center, she said she was grateful to the police and city staff for providing a place she could seek shelter.
“It’s really been a godsend,” Papisan said.
Had she not known about the warming centers in McHenry, Papisan said, she probably would have tried to stay in an area Walmart, which isn’t always a guarantee.
Because of electrical problems, Route 120’s eastbound lane at Crystal Lake Road and westbound lane at Borden Street were blocked for several hours Wednesday, according to a Nixle alert from McHenry police.
Motorists were advised to use alternate routes. One eastbound lane of Route 120 reopened about 11:30 a.m., police said.
“McHenry police and fire departments, along with ComEd, are working on an electrical issue in the area. ComEd is aware power is out in several areas; however, please still report your outage directly to ComEd for their accurate tracking,” McHenry police said in the alert. “If you have to travel this area, please use an alternate route.”
There were 140 customers affected by power outages near Bull Valley, according to ComEd’s outage map. Power was expected to be restored by 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Usi 1208 Replacement
Crystal Lake police said in an alert sent about 6:35 a.m. Wednesday that drivers should avoid Walkup Avenue from Route 176 to Woodstock Street for railroad crossing repairs. The road was reopened Wednesday afternoon.
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