Why check alarms in a Sugar House house?
The Sugar House Community Master Plan describes housing that runs from imposing Victorian residences to Craftsman bungalows and tracts of post-World War II cottages. It also notes that converting older two-story single-family homes into multi-family units is fairly common there, and that many of those conversions were done without a building permit or compliance with city zoning and code. Wherever a house has been divided, the alarm layout should follow the bedrooms and sleeping areas as they are used today, not as the house was first built.
Where do smoke alarms go, and how old is too old?
The U.S. Fire Administration says to put smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement, on the ceiling or high on the wall, and to interconnect them so that when one sounds, they all sound. Age matters: alarms need to be replaced 10 years from the manufacture date.
For an alarm on a 9-volt battery, USFA says to test it monthly and replace the battery at least once a year. A sealed 10-year lithium alarm is tested monthly and replaced as a whole unit according to the manufacturer. USFA also notes that smoke alarms come in two basic types, ionization and photoelectric, which detect different types of fires; because no one can predict which kind of fire might start, it recommends having both types or dual-sensor alarms.
What about carbon monoxide?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission calls CO the invisible killer because it is colorless and odorless, and says more than 200 people in the United States die every year from accidental non-fire CO poisoning associated with consumer products. Its advice is to install battery-operated CO alarms, or CO alarms with battery backup, on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, and it says interconnected CO alarms are best.
The same page lists the symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness and confusion. If you suspect it, CPSC says to get outside to fresh air immediately and then call 911. It also says never to run a portable generator inside a home or garage, even with doors and windows open, and to keep one outside at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust facing away.
What can a handyman install?
Battery-powered and sealed long-life units. USFA notes that hardwired alarms draw power from the home's electrical system; adding or replacing a hardwired alarm is electrical work and goes to a licensed electrician. 24/7 Express Handyman Service installs battery smoke and CO alarms in Sugar House, placed by the USFA and CPSC guidance above, and the price is on the service page linked below.