What "10 year" smoke alarms do you recommend?

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#3334283 21-Jan-2025 19:12

BadBadBadMonkey: On the contrary the level of false alarms that are driving the reviews on the Bunnings & Mitre10 sites

Just had a quick look at the Bunnings offerings and there are tons and tons of 1-star reviews, some from the battery dying after six months but most from them triggering randomly all the time. Even the best-rated alarm they have still gets around 50% 1-star reviews.

There's also this, from Consumer.

timmmay

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#3334292 21-Jan-2025 19:59

I learned that one reason you get false alarms is due to temperature fluctuations. They can develop condensation in the photoelectric chamber and go off because of that. The Cavius alarm in the same place as a cheaper alarm has never given me a false alarm.

A tip for Cavius alarms - you have to leave some of them in their base for testing. I took mine out to test it and thought it was faulty, but when I contacted Cavius they said it has to be in the base. This varies based on model.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3334300 21-Jan-2025 20:30

I believe most of the 10-year ones have a switch that is activated when installed in the base, so that removing them from the base isolates the battery. This improves the shipping classification (dangerous goods) and improves shelf life, as well as allowing you to forcibly silence the alarm by removing it from the base.

FireAngel had a bad batch about 15 years ago where, amongst other issues, that switch could stuck on so the alarm couldn't be switched off.

fe31nz

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#3334355 22-Jan-2025 04:35

BadBadBadMonkey:

I just can't get my head around this, I have PTSD from being woken up at 3 am (because of course it's always 3 am) by these *#*@ing things installed by the landlord who thinks all they need is a new battery.

How can they meet the standards? On the contrary the level of false alarms that are driving the reviews on the Bunnings & Mitre10 sites - not to mention my PTSD - should be illegal... will make the fire alarm marketing achieve nothing more than a false sense of security as the damn things cry wolf to the point people stop taking them seriously, or do what I did which is get medieval on them one at a time at 3:05 am and end up with no alarms at all.

How about overseas, US or Europe, are there better options?

Do you vacuum your smoke alarms? If not, then the spiders and dust and dirt can cause them to have false alarms.

HarmLessSolutions

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#3374405 18-May-2025 21:55

We're in the final stages of major house renovations and one of the Council requirements is for interconnected fire detection (smoke detectors) throughout the house, being 8 in total over two levels. My biggest concern is that our heating is by way of a log fire which often puffs smoke back into the lounge/living area when the door is opened or occasionally in windy conditions. This is likely to trigger the detector in the lounge area (as stipulated by the architect) resulting in false alarms and traumatised cats and us.

It seems that Cavius brand units are the most recommended by you all. Is a heat detector in the logfire vicinity with smoke detectors elsewhere the best solution? If not what other suggestions are there?

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

networkn

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#3374406 18-May-2025 22:09

I've found cavius awesome. Id call and ask them or email them, they are very prompt to reply and will give you a straight answer

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Bung

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#3374409 18-May-2025 22:18

You shouldn't be getting smoke in the room. I'd be checking that the flue wasn't blocking up with soot. If the flue is clean maybe the chimney is the wrong height for good draft.

HarmLessSolutions

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#3374410 18-May-2025 22:25

Bung:

You shouldn't be getting smoke in the room. I'd be checking that the flue wasn't blocking up with soot. If the flue is clean maybe the chimney is the wrong height for good draft.

Flue is squeaky clean. The logfire (Firenzo Bronte) design has a 'lid' that sits atop the firebox which allows very slight smoke leakage. A gust of wind can cause enough back pressure for smoke to 'backfire'.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

networkn

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#3374600 19-May-2025 10:19

HarmLessSolutions:

Flue is squeaky clean. The logfire (Firenzo Bronte) design has a 'lid' that sits atop the firebox which allows very slight smoke leakage. A gust of wind can cause enough back pressure for smoke to 'backfire'.

Something is very wrong. I'd be getting that inspected and sorted really quickly. I wouldn't light the fire until it is.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is a real thing, and it's the silent killer. You'd just go to sleep. Obviously, that is worst case....

BlargHonk

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#3374609 19-May-2025 11:04

networkn:

HarmLessSolutions:

Flue is squeaky clean. The logfire (Firenzo Bronte) design has a 'lid' that sits atop the firebox which allows very slight smoke leakage. A gust of wind can cause enough back pressure for smoke to 'backfire'.

Something is very wrong. I'd be getting that inspected and sorted really quickly. I wouldn't light the fire until it is.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is a real thing, and it's the silent killer. You'd just go to sleep. Obviously, that is worst case....

If you are getting smoke alarms, might as well get a Carbon Monoxide Monitor too!

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/quell-worry-free-carbon-monoxide-alarm_p0379673

turtleattacks

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#3374610 19-May-2025 11:11

We are just finishing up renos and will have a new fireplace.

Would this be the best one to get? Cavius 10 Year Battery Operated Photoelectric Smoke Alarm or their thermal heat alarm?

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HarmLessSolutions

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#3374662 19-May-2025 15:36

networkn:

HarmLessSolutions:

Flue is squeaky clean. The logfire (Firenzo Bronte) design has a 'lid' that sits atop the firebox which allows very slight smoke leakage. A gust of wind can cause enough back pressure for smoke to 'backfire'.

Something is very wrong. I'd be getting that inspected and sorted really quickly. I wouldn't light the fire until it is.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is a real thing, and it's the silent killer. You'd just go to sleep. Obviously, that is worst case....

Do you realise that no enclosed logfire is completely sealed? If it was then where would it get the oxygen to maintain the combustion?

The backdraft issue is most common when the fire is damped down fully for a slow overnight burn (we're rural so have this functionality). When the fire is restricted in this way the heat that helps the flue vent is minimised so backdrafting is more likely, including from spontaneous ignition of gases in the flue from time to time. This 'slow' setting is mostly used overnight which is when a false alarm from a smoke detector is least welcome.

My question was about smoke detector systems so an inquisition on logfire safety is a bit off topic.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

tweake

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#3374678 19-May-2025 17:35

turtleattacks:

We are just finishing up renos and will have a new fireplace.

Would this be the best one to get? Cavius 10 Year Battery Operated Photoelectric Smoke Alarm or their thermal heat alarm?

use the thermal heat alarm in kitchens and anywhere near fireplaces.

tweake

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#3374680 19-May-2025 17:43

HarmLessSolutions:

Flue is squeaky clean. The logfire (Firenzo Bronte) design has a 'lid' that sits atop the firebox which allows very slight smoke leakage. A gust of wind can cause enough back pressure for smoke to 'backfire'.

while most will put out a puff of smoke when opening doors etc, its should not be puffing out smoke due to wind. back drafting is often caused by insufficient draw by the chimney (blockage, not enough height, poor location etc). it also can be made worse by using a badly installed heat transfer system. ie your pulling air out of the room and creating a low pressure area which makes it more likely for the fireplace to back draft.

btw there is also fully sealed ones with external air inlet (i have also found fake versions of them).

alisam

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#3374693 19-May-2025 19:05

timmmay:

Happy with my Cavius. I have a couple of smoke alarms in the house, both connected with a thermal alarm on the ceiling above the stove. We've never had a false alarm. I think they're a mix of 5 and 10 year batteries. I should really change the ones in the bedrooms to Cavius, mostly for the networking between them.

Also happy with Cavius Wireless (2 x Smoke & 1 Heat Alarm). I also purchased the Remote so that (in theory) nobody has to get out the step ladders (or broom handle) to test the alarms.

To me the test instructions (using the remote) were unclear and Cavious replied with more information.

Also, they told me about the 'can of CRC Smoke Test https://www.google.com/search?q=crc+smoke+detector+tester&rlz='.

Cavius Wireless are not cheap, but we liked the idea that if one detects smoke/heat, they all go off.

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