Smoke Detectors

Smoke Detectors are an important early warning system in our home most of us will never have to rely on. Their annoyingly loud alert is intended to raise awareness that a risk is detected. They can also be an annoyance to the point where some residents disconnect them. In Arizona, there are state, county and even city regulations pertaining to smoke detector requirements home owners must consider. At Two Hands For Hire, we can help home owners and residents with several options including wired interconnecting, wireless interconnecting, and wireless stand-alone options to insure homes meet needed regulations.

Wired interconnected smoke detectors are what almost all the homes built in Anthem have installed by our various builders. They are wires to a dedicated electrical circuit, a battery backup, and a common wire between all of them which means when one sounds off, they all sound off. We consider these the optimal choice between cost and function as they are not expensive but do require regular maintenance including battery replacement as well as removal of dust to avoid false alarms. A wired upgrade would be a wired detector with a 10-year sealed lithium battery.

Wireless smoke detectors rely solely on a battery for power. Wireless detectors must be UL listed with a sealed 10-year lithium battery. These devices are costlier than wired smoke detectors and are available in an interconnected version which are the costliest.

Finally, for the hearing impaired, there are detectors with bright strobe lights which can be installed.

It is important for Anthem Home owners and residents to know that the builder-provided smoke detectors have long exceeded their expected life and should be replaced. Since most of the homes we serve are already wired for detectors, Two Hands for Hire recommends replacing existing detectors with a wired detector with a 10-year sealed lithium battery. We also offer battery replacement services for homes with standard battery units and can even reach up to those hard to reach detectors. Homes with gas appliances should also insure they have one Carbon Monoxide detectors installed in their home as well.

Call Two Hands For Hire if you have questions or would like in in-home consultation. We will not overcommit, and will recommend and refer clients to other subject matter experts when needs go beyond our abilities and strengths