Smoke alarm

[Jere Oneil]

A while back, someone posted a question about what to do if there was a fire in your home and you were dressed. My wife(due to her medical problems) and I sleep in separate bedrooms, and she knows I sleep dressed anyhow (bra, panties and nightie). But, my daughter was visiting last night, which was the coldest night of the year, so far, with temperatures in single digits. Anyhow, I was rousted out of a sound sleep at around 1 AM by blaring smoke detectors. I got up, and there was no smoke in my bedroom, and the interior door wasn't hot, so I took off my nightie and pulled a pair of sweat pants, a tee shirt and a sweater over my bra and panties before going to investigate. My wife and daughter met me in the hallway and we started checking.A thorough search found no fire or smoke at all. I even put on my boots and a heavy jacket before going out with a flashlight to check in the crawl space (actually more of a walkin space due to the way our home is built). There was nothing there, and my daughter checked the attic while I was outside. Then I noticed the heat strips were on on the heat pump, and figured out what had happened. We've had a very mild winter up until now, so the heat strips hadn't been on for around 9 months or so. As a result, 9 months of accumulated dust was burning off of the heat strips. I checked by turning off the heat for a few minutes and resetting the alarms. They cleared, so I turned the heat back on. The alarms went off again, but I was able to reset them. This happened several more times before they decided to stay silent at around 2:30 AM.

[marie354]

Yup! A regular maintenance check and cleaning should be on the list for winter prep.
I use gas heat and I always get out the vacuum and crevice tool to clean the dust out before fireing them up for the first time.
There are some difficult places to reach and if you are not comfortable with a little disassembly to do a proper job of it... Do call a professional. It's well worth the cost to have a safe home.

I usually do it myself when I pull all the window A/C units out in the fall.
In the spring, I hose all of the A/C units from the inside out with a garden hose and allow them to dry before I put them in.

Tip: If you use window A/C units. Remove the cover and spray everything inside except fan blades, aluminum fins, and motor shafts with spray paint like rustoleum. That will make them last for many years before the rust can do damage. And always buy new filters for the season. I buy several of the foam kind so I can just swap, put the old ones in the wash, and put away for the next filter change. At least monthly, but weekly is better.
:hugs:

[janedoe311]

If they are photoelectric smoke detectors or dual photoelectric and ion then they need to be cleaned out. Photoelectric have lights and photocells when the light is ‘Blocked” it sets the alarm off. They get dust and bugs in them. Ion alarms rarely need to be cleaned but can get micro dust in them.

Photoelectric are better for larger particles, fires that smolder. Ion smoke detectors are better for small particles and hot fires, hence dual is best to have.

Take them down take out batteries, if they are hard wired turn off the power to them. Vacuum both of them, then use a air spray to blow them out.

The other problem is they may need to be replaced. But clean them first. If they still malfunction then get new ones.

Remember the ion smoke detectors contain a small amount of radioactive material. Do not break them. You will be safe as long as they stay in one piece. Bring them to a recycling center that will take them. They are considered toxic, but most centers that take florescent lights will take smoke detectors. Call first.

[linnea]

You never know when an emergency or accident may happen. If you are dressed en femme, somehow you have to be prepared for the exposure your response to a situation may incur. Since my crossdressing is still secret to my family and friends, I run this risk all the time and it does give me some anxiety.
I was alseep in a motel, wearing a nightie--a very pretty one--by myself and far from home. At about 2 am, the fire alarm went off in the building and everyone had to evacuate. There actually was a mechanical fire somewhere in the building but no one was hurt and no guests sustained any injury or loss. However, as I stood outside with the others waiting for the "all clear" or whatever to happen, I thought about what I would do if the building burned and I lost my possessions. In that event, I would have only the sweats that I through hurriedly on over my nightie and panties and the slippers that I quickly put my feet into--no i.d., no male clothes, no money, etc. Luckily, I got back into the building along with everyone else about forty-five minutes later.

[scarletppn]

The main thing to consider is your personal safety, everything else can be replaced. As far as being dressed, since I'm a firefighter I can tell you that they have seen it all before! Will make for a great firehouse story which will be told for years. However, you will be treated with respect.

[Jere Oneil]

You never know when an emergency or accident may happen. If you are dressed en femme, somehow you have to be prepared for the exposure your response to a situation may incur. Since my crossdressing is still secret to my family and friends, I run this risk all the time and it does give me some anxiety.
I was alseep in a motel, wearing a nightie--a very pretty one--by myself and far from home. At about 2 am, the fire alarm went off in the building and everyone had to evacuate. There actually was a mechanical fire somewhere in the building but no one was hurt and no guests sustained any injury or loss. However, as I stood outside with the others waiting for the "all clear" or whatever to happen, I thought about what I would do if the building burned and I lost my possessions. In that event, I would have only the sweats that I through hurriedly on over my nightie and panties and the slippers that I quickly put my feet into--no i.d., no male clothes, no money, etc. Luckily, I got back into the building along with everyone else about forty-five minutes later.

My home is designed so every bedroom has a direct escape route. The two master bedrooms actually each have an exterior door leading to the back yard. The two smaller front rooms have windows opening onto a handicap accessible ramp.

The motel thing brings to mind the time my daughter and I were staying together when she was bowling in the state youth bowling tournament. WE met everyone in the restaurant the next morning, and they were all saying how tired they were because they had to evacuate their rooms and stand around outside for 2 hours because of a bomb threat. My daughter and I slept thru the whole thing.

[Scotty]

Glad there was no fire!!

I sleep in a nightshirt and panties, always have.

But I always have a pair of jeans handy and would do just as you did.

I have heaters that have the same issue and have to take a shop vac to them every fall before I crank them on....

[janedoe311]

would you be surprised how much of a risk most home and business are. Even at my home we have made mistakes. It is hard to keep up with it all the time.

Get fire extinguishers they are cheap these days.
Get yourself and family out do not try to save things. Do not even try to stop the fire, they will suddenly flair up and you will be trapped.