Smoke Detector selection for Shop ?

[Marc Jeske]

It seems to me generally speaking, ? All? smoke detectors in a dusty environ should be GENTLY blassted w a compressed air nozzle occasionally.

Marc

[Ron Selzer]

20 years + with a hardwired interconnected system, I bought the house new and refused the central control panel with security that called out.
Have added smoke detectors in basement workshop and storage rooms. Changed every head out this year, should change out every 10 years, originals had been changed all ready.
Don't remember any false alarms, set one off in workshop cutting hardened coated screws with grinder. Have set one off in hallway cleaning oven in kitchen, etc.
Went with all Kiddee's this time around, have a monitor close to furnace also. No heat detectors.

[Jason Roehl]

Just a quick addition here:

1. Change your detectors every 10 years. Nowadays they even come with permanent batteries. Write the date on the detector when you install it in permanent marker where you can see it from below.

2. Heat detectors are great for dusty areas. The temperature at which they alert is not as high as you might think (probably somewhere in the 150°-170°F range, similar to sprinkler heads). A fire will raise the temperature of the near-ceiling air to that level very quickly, even a small fire.

[Brice Rogers]

My old detectors were connected with an interconnecting wire. So, if one went off, they all went off. All seven of them. It was a royal PITA to try to figure out why one was falsing. So, I replaced the whole lot with Fire-X ionization detectors. I interconnected 3 of them in strategic locations. Interestingly, a feature is that when an alarm is triggered, there is a red light that stays on for a long enough period of time that you can figure out which one alarmed.

In the instruction sheet it listed locations to AVOID:
1. In the garage. Products of combustion are present when you start your automobile.
2. Less than 4" from the peak of an "A" frame type ceiling.
3. In an area where the temperature may fall below 40 degrees F (4.4 C) or rise above 100 F (37.8 C), such as a garage and unfinished attics.

I imagine that there are a lot of geographic areas where people have shops that get colder than 40 F or warmer than 100 F. So, perhaps the Home Despot type smoke detectors may not be suited for that application.

[Jim Becker]

Hardwired and interconnected smoke detectors are required by code in any new construction or major additions/renovations. They generally have battery backup. There are heat rise units available that can be interconnected with many of these systems for use in garages, shops and other areas where smoke detectors are prone to false alarms.

[Rod Sheridan]

I use a regular smoke/CO2 detector in the shop and haven’t had a false alarm yet......Rod

[DannyC White]

I'm currently designing my new shop hope to break ground in late spring. One feature I'm going to add if a main power switch located right near the main exit door. When I'm done for the day I will simply shut off all power to the shop to eliminate electrical fire hazards. I'm trying to figure out how to also either locate the switch to keep small grand kids from turning it on again when I'm not there. Maybe a keypad code or something.

[Eric Danstrom]

It appears that modern smoke detectors don't have the issues with dust as compared to older detectors. Combine that with a good dust collection system/HEPA filter and I'm hoping its not an issue in my shop. The Amazon feedback has lots of complaints about receiving detectors with 2-3 years already passed on the 10 year life. I'll look for a better purchase option.

Thanks for all the good information!

[Jeff Caulk]

I use the heat sensors that have the spring loaded contact secured with a specific temperature epoxy (breaks down at 195F). These are tied into my security automation system.

[Mike Hollis]

If you really want early detection of a small flame and a detector that is almost impervious to dust, look at UV detectors. They are basically a camera that detectors the UV light given off by flames, so you would need to insure you have enough detectors to cover the areas you’re concerned about.

But, they start around $200 per, and you need other hardware as well. About the only way dust affects them is covering the lens - easy enough to wipe off on a regular basis.