Home Improvement → Re: Smoke detectors - hardwired

Kidde (Firex) makes a photocell model which is similar to the ionization unit I linked to. So get that one if you want.

Requiring photocell units seems dumb to me. I have ionization units next to the bathroom, next to the washing machine, and near a heating supply duct, and they all work fine. Zero false alarms.

The State of NJ inspects our smoke/CO detectors every 5 years. They're fine with the Kidde ionization ones we have.

As in, they enter your home and check them?

I would hope that they don't infringe on the citizens rights that much.

Under the Canadian Fire Protection and Prevention Act; the FD does have the right to enter and check for compliance...

That said - unless we've got complaints from By-Law or other agencies, we don't push the issue.

Departments routinely to voluntary inspections (door to door; "Hi, we'd like to check your detectors, may we come in?" kind of thing) or check detectors while in the premise for other reasons (medical assistance calls, etc).

I'm not sure how the US laws are setup, though.

What citizen rights, your right to die in a fire?

I wish fire departments did inspections here in Iowa, lots of people die every year because smoke detectors either were not working or missing completely.

You may want government intrusion but the majority of Americans would not agree. What's to keep them from "inspecting" other things? Nothing. Once it starts there are no limits.

Maintaining smoke detectors is the responsible thing to do but it's not up to government to force their way into homes without a search warrant detailing probable cause to "inspect".

Around here it would be called a warrant.

It is not inspecting other things, it is what things they see while doing an inspection which have noting to do with the scope of the inspection...

And around here it would be warranted.