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check your smoke alarms
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Please fellow fabsters, check your smoke alarms ITS IMPORTANT.
Early hours of yesterday morning I was woken up by a beeping noise, I was still half asleep, but soon came to the realisation that it was my smoke alarm in the living room.
A fire had started and the smoke alarm allowed me to get my son out of the house and call the fire brigade.
It could have been a different story, on Christmas day I took the battery out of that very smoke alarm for one of my sons toys, and replaced it the day after boxing day.
The living room is basically a right off, and theres a bit of smoke damage around the hallway door and ceiling but nothing that cant be fixed, the important thing is, we are ok, thanks to the smoke alarm and fire door.
So please, go check your smoke alarms, because the best case scenario of a house fire is that you have to replace a lot of things, and re decorate, worst case doesn't bear thinking about, so check them now |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Bloody hell! Glad to hear you saved the important things.
It's added to today's to do list. I'd also recommend getting someone from the fire brigade to come around and check where your alarms are positioned.
Had a really helpful bloke come around and give us some hints and tips |
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By *eliWoman
over a year ago
. |
Glad to read you and your son are ok OP. Sadly these things happen and it tends to be with hindsight that people check (writing as someone who has lost a family friend in a house fire).
Hopefully things get sorted soon for you both and your home. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"Bloody hell! Glad to hear you saved the important things.
It's added to today's to do list. I'd also recommend getting someone from the fire brigade to come around and check where your alarms are positioned.
Had a really helpful bloke come around and give us some hints and tips "
Yes, the fire brigade are a good resource when it comes to fire safety, it was them that told me years ago the there is a good chance of a smoke alarm failing if its at an angle like if its on the stairs, you can never bee too careful |
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Great post OP - Glad you and your son are OK. Hope you didnt lose to much.
We dont need to check ours, it goes off every time one of us uses the bloody oven.
No its not because we are bad cooks, it is because it not only does smoke it also does rapid heat change too. Open the oven door with the kitchen door open too and all hell breaks loose. Its a royal PITA but I couldnt recommend them highly enough! |
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By *eltonmanMan
over a year ago
Melton Mowbray |
Glad you're ok after that.
I regularly check mine, got a 10 yr battery inside it, with receiver and vibrating pad to wake me up if it goes off overnight, I'm deaf, but peace of mind.
Swear it shakes more than any toys ?? |
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By *eavenNhellCouple
over a year ago
carrbrook stalybridge |
"Great post OP - Glad you and your son are OK. Hope you didnt lose to much.
We dont need to check ours, it goes off every time one of us uses the bloody oven.
No its not because we are bad cooks, it is because it not only does smoke it also does rapid heat change too. Open the oven door with the kitchen door open too and all hell breaks loose. Its a royal PITA but I couldnt recommend them highly enough!"
ours is the same open the bathroom door after a hot shower and its bleeping away 10seconds later proper pita when your frying anything but good peace of mind
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Im not sure how it works in other regions but if you get in touch with the fire service in my area they will come and fit smoke alarms in your home for free.
I had 2 ten year smoke alarms fitted last year and you know they are fitted correctly and in the right place. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I have brand new smoke alarms that aren't set off by cooking and a co2 detector.
What caused your fire OP?
Extension lead  "
Scary stuff, glad you're all ok
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By *ewrocksWoman
over a year ago
button moon |
"Im not sure how it works in other regions but if you get in touch with the fire service in my area they will come and fit smoke alarms in your home for free.
I had 2 ten year smoke alarms fitted last year and you know they are fitted correctly and in the right place."
I've had the same done, but just a heads up, in case you've not seen theres been a faulty batch, they start pipping as if the batties gone, my 2 were fitted 16months ago, I've got 2 of the dodgy batch and 1 is pipping! if you google it you should find the info, if not I'll find the link.x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Glad you ok. They cost so little why not one in every room. Make sure you fit them correctly, recommend heat alarm in the kitchen, smoke and carbon in rooms that have gas appliances, if you get main ones fitted the battery's last far longer.  any one local need advice pm me. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Oh gosh... I'm so pleased you're both okay. That's really scary stuff! I went past a fire in a block of council flats last Saturday in Brixton, I've never seen anything like it.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Having a plan really does work
Smoke alarm are a great first alarm warning
But something else so simple is closing all the doors down stairs
And finally on most modern pvc doors you need keys to lock the door from the inside - not good if you ve left the keys in a rooms that's filling rapidly filling up with smoke. I upgraded the front lock (usually get a crap key lock on the door) with a more secure antibreak barrol and a thumb lock on the inside
Make a plan how to get out - personal effect can be replaced but family can't
Speaking from experience
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Oh my goodness kb, so, so glad you are both ok, you may find the shock sets in at a later point, so take care of yourself and talk it through as much as possible, it's a common thing where people feel they are ok because all is fine and they are safe, so they don't talk it out, but then shock sets in and it can affect some, so talk, talk, talkxxxx
Also all fire brigades will give a free home safety check and fit free smoke alarms and they do this seven days a week so if you need one, call your local station today, also they will replace certain electric blankets and they will give you a free electric deep fat fryer if you have the old stove top chip pan, all worth remembering  Mrs blue eyes |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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I'm seriously at risk of boring people about smoke alarms, but its a point that needs bringing home.
I'm now setting about upgrading the smoke alarms in my properties as well as my own home (same brand as the ones I've got, I know they work) as well as redecorating and having all my electrics sorted so I don't have to use any extension leads or multi plugs.
Its not the best start to the year, but it could have been much worse. |
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"I have brand new smoke alarms that aren't set off by cooking and a co2 detector.
What caused your fire OP?
Extension lead "
So on that note. I would like to add more advice.
Never use an extension lead unless it is fully unwound. Cassette type are the worst for getting hot if only partially unwound. I understand the coiled up part acts like a magneto or similar |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I have brand new smoke alarms that aren't set off by cooking and a co2 detector.
What caused your fire OP?
Extension lead
So on that note. I would like to add more advice.
Never use an extension lead unless it is fully unwound. Cassette type are the worst for getting hot if only partially unwound. I understand the coiled up part acts like a magneto or similar "
always fully unwind a coiled extension lead - they get very hot - so many buy say an extra long one just in case and undo just enough - please dont |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I'm going to add another story to this and really want to reenforce the butlers point.
We had a coal/wood burner fitted and stacked the logs near the side of it. Always stacked them there and never no issues.
Anyway, night luckily it was a day I hadn't been working so wasn't tired. Had the fire on and thought this fuel is a bit smokey tonight and didn't think anything of it. So continued feeding the fire while smoke built up around me...I didn't really notice since it was gradual.
So it gets to the point where I fully notice and my eyes are starting to sting.
The logs had moved and caught fire...just slightly smouldering away. There was probably 20kg of logs stacked there.
If I'd of been working I usually fall asleep on the sofa until mrsdpt comes home....usually about 2-3am. Now it was probably 9pm when I realised what had happened.
The battery in our smoke alarm was dead....and if I'd of fallen asleep the chances are so would I.
Get the check peeps
99.9% stupidity on our behalve for putting them there...but never had an issue before. A lesson well and truely learnt. |
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By *sGivesWoodWoman
over a year ago
ST. AUSTELL, CORNWALL |
"Please fellow fabsters, check your smoke alarms ITS IMPORTANT.
Early hours of yesterday morning I was woken up by a beeping noise, I was still half asleep, but soon came to the realisation that it was my smoke alarm in the living room.
A fire had started and the smoke alarm allowed me to get my son out of the house and call the fire brigade.
It could have been a different story, on Christmas day I took the battery out of that very smoke alarm for one of my sons toys, and replaced it the day after boxing day.
The living room is basically a right off, and theres a bit of smoke damage around the hallway door and ceiling but nothing that cant be fixed, the important thing is, we are ok, thanks to the smoke alarm and fire door.
So please, go check your smoke alarms, because the best case scenario of a house fire is that you have to replace a lot of things, and re decorate, worst case doesn't bear thinking about, so check them now"
Glad to hear you're both ok xxx |
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Have you noticed how your low battery chirp always seems to start about 3am on a cold night? 
Extension leads are usually pretty safe things, as long as you don't overload them and you don't use them with any sort of damage (cracks, broken cases, missing neon windows, cable damage- things that fail a PAT test) |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Guys as a tradesman ive been to my fair share of house fire repairs. Dont just check your smoke alarms yearly do it monthly! If you have a basic smoke alarm change it for a heat+smoke alarm. 10 year batteries are made as backup batteries for hardwired alarms!
If you use extension leads buy decent ones that are properly protected not just a 13amp fused plug and dont overload or daisy chain extension leads |
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glad your all ok and safe .
Glad you're ok. Off to test mine now. 