Important News....

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Smoke Detectors Save Lives.......hmm...thats all I had to say because I hated to see this topic stay empty.

[Kevin P. Williams]

So do CO Detectors

[Paul W. Abernathy]

And Egress Windows in Basement bedrooms

[Russel Ray]

And dogs and cats.

[Larry D. Kage]

...and keeping on breathing.

[David P. Valley]

and parachutes...

[Kevin P. Williams]

and seat belts

[Paul W. Abernathy]

And for our NACHI attorney...LIGHT BEER with SMOKES !

[Erby Crofutt]

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Smoke Detector(s) not present/present at:
Carbon Monoxide Detectors not present/present at:

The Carbon Monoxide Detector and/or the Smoke Detector are NOT tested as part of the Home Inspection. I don't know if they are hooked up to the fire department or an alarm monitoring service or not. I don't want to find out by having fire trucks outside responding to a false alarm.

On older homes where the age of the detectors cannot be determined, I recommend replacing all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. The National Fire Protection Association recommends replacing smoke detectors every 10 years and carbon monoxide detectors every 5 years.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Smoke Detectors are important safety devices. You need to make sure they are ALWAYS working. The detectors should be tested by the home owner upon moving in and on a regular basis thereafter (every 30-60 days.) If it fails to operate, have it fixed or replace it. Do NOT just remove the battery and leave the detector without power. Hard wired smoke detectors should be repaired by an alarm qualified licensed electrician.

If you have a Carbon Monoxide Detector and need it, you'll be really glad you have it.
If you need it and don't have it, it won't make any difference to you, but the remainder of your family will mourn.
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[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by ecrofutt

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The Carbon Monoxide Detector and/or the Smoke Detector are NOT tested as part of the Home Inspection. I don't know if they are hooked up to the fire department or an alarm monitoring service or not. I don't want to find out by having fire trucks outside responding to a false alarm.

Has that ever happened to you?

All of our detectors, even hard-wired ones and monitored ones have little test buttons on them, so it's never presented a problem to me to test them "just like a homeowner might do in the normal course of a normal day," which is what my whole inspection is about, which is why I don't use $12,000 thermal imaging cameras, or $350 moisture meters, etc., the course of my STANDARD inspection (PREMIUM and TECH inspections are a different story).

Once I tell my Clients that, in the course of about two hours, my inspectors are going to try to do everything that would take you weeks or months to do, I've set their expectations. Now I intend to manage their expectations like all good service personnel should do. I do also provide consulting services at $500 an hour, and since I do provide five different levels of inspections at five different prices, my Clients can choose a la carté, if you will.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

BUT....they Save Lives....

[Russel Ray]

In and of themselves, just because they exist, they do not save lives.
They have to be working.

[Erby Crofutt]

#1. NO, but I know inspectors it has happened to.

#2. Well, DUH!

[David P. Valley]

I don't do Alarms...

Smoke Alarms -Massachusetts law requires that all residential structures be equipped with approved smoke detectors upon sale. The local fire department will issue a certificate to prove compliance. The Seller is responsible for obtaining this certificate before close of escrow.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

I happen to check them Russel...tehhehe...and the ones I check I like to think...Save Lives...tehhee