On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:34:41 -0500, "Butch Haynes"
wrote:

"Myrna" wrote in message
roups.com...
In our home there are 3 smoke alarms, all wired into the house wiring.
All are the same age (about 22 yrs). There's a high pitched noise
coming from one of them.

In a recent discussion, one guy told me to replace all of them, not
just the one. He said new ones aren't compatible with the new ones. I
didn't ask him what he meant about being compatible.

So, can anyone tell me what this means? Do I have to replace all 3?

Thanks,
Myrna


Fire departments recommend using battery operated ones that are independent
of house current and could be compromised in a fire.

I was gong to say something like this, but I think the best system
would be a combination of battery and AC detectors.

Also, I don't want to discourage anyone from safety measures, but
these detectors are testable. Hold a burning match below one, and it
will sound within 3 or 4 seconds iirc.

Finally a story. I have a lot of smoke detectors, and the one in the
basement started beeping to indicate the battery is low. but I have
piled things below it and can't reach it without moving everything.
So I let it beep for about 3 or 4 months. Yet, when I tried to start
the furnace in late Sept, early Oct. and it was smokey, the smoke
detector whe off and was as loud as iff the battery were new.. It was
plenty loud.. It's been another six or 7 weeks and it's still
beeping, more often now I think , once a minute. Now I'm curious how
long it will beep. It's been at least 6 months. I'm impressed.