How long can a smoke detector sit, unused, and still be pristine?

[bobdoo]

Five years ago, I bought a replacement smoke alarm to replace the one 14' in the air, at the top of my great room. Age and poor health, I still haven't got around to it... I *did* replace the easy to reach detectors at that time. (The oldest detector is not yet 10 years old.)

I am about to give it a try, and purchased a brand new alarm, and brand new lithium AA's to go in it. But I wonder if the NOS can be used in a less-critical location...

 

[bobdoo]

Welp, 10 years after manufacture is the hard limit to life, per google. Guess I'll get a few years of use out of the NOS.

 

[y_p_w]

Depends on the type of smoke detector. Most are ionization types that use a small amount of Americium-241, which has a half life of more than 400 years. It's constantly decaying and releasing alpha particles, and when smoke blocks the sensor, it should go off. But theoretically it should work longer than the recommended 10 year. That recommendation seems to be somewhat arbitrary.

 

[mk378]

Use one with a built in 10 year battery. Buy only when you're ready to install.

 

[brianl703]

But theoretically it should work longer than the recommended 10 year. That recommendation seems to be somewhat arbitrary.

My experience is that the older a smoke detector gets, the more likely it is to do annoying things like go off at 3am when there's no smoke, or randomly chirp when there's nothing wrong with the battery. This is with AC powered, interconnected smoke detectors with a battery backup.

 

[kschachn]

My experience is that the older a smoke detector gets, the more likely it is to do annoying things like go off at 3am when there's no smoke, or randomly chirp when there's nothing wrong with the battery. This is with AC powered, interconnected smoke detectors with a battery backup.

And I did not know this, but some of them have some sort of circuitry that renders them inoperative after 10 years. Mine were getting a fault that could not be cleared.

 

[spk2000]

Companies selling smoke alarms want everyone to replace smoke detectors every 10 years. Just like car manufacturers want to keep you buying cars all the time. It's good for company profits.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

I don't think it's a bad idea.

 

[bobdoo]

I determined long ago, that fire was the most devastating thing that could happen to us.

I have extinguishers in kitchen, both bedrooms, and dining room. Two at the bottom of the basement stairs (I'd never make it down, up, and back down to put out a fire). Another one next to the sump pump batteries/charger. Two in the garage (three if you count the small one in the boat!). Most are the large 5 lb size.

I have alarms in the garage, basement by the gas dryer, each bedroom, and the three interconnected in the main hall, cathedral peak, and top of basement stairwell.

...Probably have a fire when I'm out fishing... :\

 

[PimTac]

Is there an actual use by or install by date on the detector? The ones I have installed lately had a plastic tab or something that had to be pulled out to activate the unit.

 

[y_p_w]

Is there an actual use by or install by date on the detector? The ones I have installed lately had a plastic tab or something that had to be pulled out to activate the unit.

They typically have a manufacturing date listed. At least First Alert branded smoke detectors come with a 10 year recommendation for replacement - from the date of manufacture. That being said, it isn't exactly Cinderella's carriage turning into a pumpkin at midnight.

First Alert Smoke Alarm FAQ

Smoke Alarms FAQ - How do smoke alarms work, what type of smoke alarms do I need, what are the differences between ionization and photoelectric?

www.firstalertstore.com

How often should I replace my smoke alarms?​

Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years. Every smoke alarm in your home has an expiration date. It’s something that all homeowners should be aware of as smoke and fire protection is only available with an active alarm. If you’re unsure of the time remaining on your smoke alarm, there’s an easy way to check its viability. Most smoke detectors will feature a manufacturer date printed on the back of the alarm. If it’s more than 10 years old, it’s time to replace the smoke detector. The same applies to carbon monoxide alarms. It should be noted that most co alarms expire after 7 years.​

 

[PandaBear]

And I did not know this, but some of them have some sort of circuitry that renders them inoperative after 10 years. Mine were getting a fault that could not be cleared.

To keep the time you need a stable battery, and to keep the battery stable you need fresh battery, or you have to get some sort of network connection or GPS reception to check the time. Too expensive for not much gain.

They typically have a manufacturing date listed. At least First Alert branded smoke detectors come with a 10 year recommendation for replacement - from the date of manufacture. That being said, it isn't exactly Cinderella's carriage turning into a pumpkin at midnight.

First Alert Smoke Alarm FAQ

Smoke Alarms FAQ - How do smoke alarms work, what type of smoke alarms do I need, what are the differences between ionization and photoelectric?

www.firstalertstore.com

How often should I replace my smoke alarms?​

Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years. Every smoke alarm in your home has an expiration date. It’s something that all homeowners should be aware of as smoke and fire protection is only available with an active alarm. If you’re unsure of the time remaining on your smoke alarm, there’s an easy way to check its viability. Most smoke detectors will feature a manufacturer date printed on the back of the alarm. If it’s more than 10 years old, it’s time to replace the smoke detector. The same applies to carbon monoxide alarms. It should be noted that most co alarms expire after 7 years.​

My guess is like car seat, they bought some sort of liability insurance that has a term limit that something will protect you by following all regulations and laws. After 10 years the standard may change and you need something "improved and upgraded". I personally don't like this disposable rule but I can see why they have to expire for liability reason.

 

[DemoFly]

Both radioactive ionization and photoelectric sensors last way longer than 10 years. I have a 30-year-old ionization sensor in the garage that works just fine.

But 10 years is a recommendation set for electronic degradation causing unit failure.

 

[kschachn]

To keep the time you need a stable battery, and to keep the battery stable you need fresh battery, or you have to get some sort of network connection or GPS reception to check the time. Too expensive for not much gain.

Kidde calls it an "end of life warning" and no GPS nor network connection is required. This is their explanation on the website, it happened to mine which were the permanently wired version. Mine was chirping like that and nothing would reset it to normal operation.

First Alert also describes this on their website.

Q: What happens after ten years?

A: After ten years, the alarm will sound an end-of-life warning, alerting you to replace the unit. You will know it’s an end-of-life chirp because you will hear two chirps every 30 seconds. When you hear this warning, it’s important to disable your alarm and replace it right away to help keep your family safe.