CO Detector Lifespan

[Matt Meiser]

Friday I went out to my shop for something and my CO detector was beeping like it had low batteries. Changing the batteries didn't fix it so while we were out Friday we picked up a new one. Last night we came home and one in the house was doing the same--and again batteries didn't fix it. I changed the batteries in the other and tested it fine. We picked up another new one today. Tonight we're sitting here watching TV and....BEEP. Yep, 3rd one bad in 3 days. Turns out Kidde CO detectors are designed to only last 7 years, after which they beep until you replace them. We moved into this house 7 years ago last December and bought CO detectors sometime not too long after moving in.

So...if you bought your CO detector 7 years ago, might want to think about replacement before they wake you in the middle of the night!

[Dan Hintz]

So...if you bought your CO detector 7 years ago, might want to think about replacement before they wake you in the middle of the night!
Or they don't :(

[Matt Meiser]

Yeah,or that!

[Curt Harms]

Don't fire detectors have a life span of about 10 years as well? Our house was built in 1995 so we replaced all the fire detectors a few years ago and wrote the replacement date inside. Also got one combo fire/CO detector. It'll voice "fire" or "carbon monoxide" in addition to the horn. There seem to be a rash of fire related deaths on the TV news lately and inevitably the house either didn't have a smoke detector or the smoke detector didn't have a battery.

[Chris Kennedy]

I forget what brand our smoke detectors are, but they all went out at the same time (same phenomenon as Matt's). They weren't even close to 7 years old, though.

[Peter Elliott]

Most smoke detectors are 10yrs - CO is 7 to 10 but I see them go defunct earlier. This is if the detector is in a non dust environment, which in the perfect house doesn't exist. In my job, these suckers really do save lives. I have seen increase in CO calls.

These are one of those must items that you just got to have. If they go bad in 1yr. buy new ones and write/call the company.
Just please don't go with out. So many times I see smoke/co detector save lives and major damage. A fire or CO poisoning is just terrible.

Remember if you are hard wired, one chirps or goes off, they most likely will all do it.

They make a 10yr 9v that seems fairly good. But more new detectors have AA.

My best advice:
1 smoke and CO per floor at a min. (including basement)
Dry Chem near the kitchen - abc red bottle type
2x yr check the batteries and blow out the dust.
teach your kids: drop/roll, get adult if see fire, not hide (if possible), get out of the house safely.

-Peter

[Mike Henderson]

This is a bit off subject but I had a strange thing happen with my smoke detectors. Occasionally, they would go off. In the middle of the night it would scare the heck out of us. I changed all the detectors but later the new ones did the same. It was my wife who figured out the problem. Seems that some small insect would get into the detector and break the circuit (like smoke does) and the alarm would go off. So now, if it happens, I take bug spray and spray the detectors and they're good for quite a while before they do that again.

Has anyone else had that happen - false alarms for no apparent reason?

Mike

[W Craig Wilson]

I re-learned the 7 year rule after replacing ours. The install sheet that came with the new one made the point that the 7 years is a built-in timer - to force replacement BEFORE the sensing element deteriorates beyond use.

As irritating as it is, I think that's a much better approach than loosing the coverage.
Now I just need to find a 7-year calendar to mark.

[Art Mulder]

BEEP. Yep, 3rd one bad in 3 days. Turns out Kidde CO detectors are designed to only last 7 years,

Mine did that last year, and that is when I noticed the expiry date embossed on the unit. Doesn't yours have that?

The weird thing is, last fall we put up an addition, and the inspector insisted we put in a hardwired CO detector because the room is above a garage.
Having a plug-in unit wasn't good enough, since we could move after the inspection. But a plug-in unit will sure be a lot easier to replace!!!

[Matt Meiser]

No expiration date on the one I've got in my office trash. Just date of mfg.

[Dave Lehnert]

There was a story last week on the local news that one should buy Photo/Ion detectors. The photoelectric models will pick up smoldering fires quicker. Said it was possible to be overcome by smoke before an Ion detector would sound off. I got them at HD.


I just replaced and added new detectors today.

[Greg Portland]

My best advice:
1 smoke and CO per floor at a min. (including basement)
Dry Chem near the kitchen - abc red bottle type
2x yr check the batteries and blow out the dust.
teach your kids: drop/roll, get adult if see fire, not hide (if possible), get out of the house safely.

-Peter... and a fire escape ladder for 2-story homes. Our house has the X-it ladder which is economical & allows multiple uses (for practicing).