Loading…
5
Watched a guy in Reno test 14 smoke detectors with actual smoke and now I refuse to use the button
I was at a fire marshal walkthrough in Reno last week and the inspector pulled out a can of test smoke for every single head. The installer before me had just been pressing the test button and calling it good. The marshal failed 4 out of 14 detectors because the sensing chamber was clogged with dust. The button only proves the horn works, not that the sensor can actually see smoke. I re-did every device on that panel with real smoke and found 2 more that were dead. Now I keep a can in my van and I will not sign off on a job without it. Does anyone else get pushback from builders when you tell them the button test is not enough?
1 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In1 Comment
lopez.brooke1d ago
So what do you do when the can runs out mid job or a head is mounted 20 feet up and you don't have a ladder that tall? The button may not check the sensor, but it sure beats missing a whole device because real smoke testing wasn't practical that day.
3