Smoke and CO Detection: Independent or Monitored?

[tiger1234]

Hi all,

We are building a new house and it will be LEED certified. LEED certification requires the smoke detectors to be CO detectors as well (or have the same number of CO detectors).

I have a pro coming in and doing the HAI OmniProII and the security install. He will be installing smoke alarms that will be tied into the OmniProII and will be monitored. However, he has said that the only way to have the CO alarms is to put them right next to the smoke alarms and that they cannot be monitored.

The last option is to just go with the builder's 120v alarms, which will act as both smoke and CO detectors but will not be monitored.

Any suggestions??? Going with the builder is cheaper as well.

 

[Digger]

Hi all,

We are building a new house and it will be LEED certified. LEED certification requires the smoke detectors to be CO detectors as well (or have the same number of CO detectors).

I have a pro coming in and doing the HAI OmniProII and the security install. He will be installing smoke alarms that will be tied into the OmniProII and will be monitored. However, he has said that the only way to have the CO alarms is to put them right next to the smoke alarms and that they cannot be monitored.

The last option is to just go with the builder's 120v alarms, which will act as both smoke and CO detectors but will not be monitored.

Any suggestions??? Going with the builder is cheaper as well.

Why cant the CO be monitored? There are CO detectors that are designed for 12 V zones of alarm panels and will trip the panel as well as have internal sounders (Quantum Group, Napco, I think GE, etc).

I personally have a smoke detector and a seperate CO detector in each of my bedrooms, in the hallway outside the bedrooms, and on each other floor of the house all connected to my ELK M1 and monitored.

Even if you go with the builders smokes and CO's you way want to put one smoke and CO on each floor connected to the alarm panel do that if you are not home the alarm company will get notification, and if you are home and its CO and you cant get out etc the panel will call for help.

 

[jaymartin]

Any suggestions??? Going with the builder is cheaper as well.

On a tangential note - you better check with local code - I was planning on going the monitored route with my smoke detectors hooked up to my alarm system, but local code requires that smoke detectors be on a 120v power source and each detector has to have its own battery backup. So I had to scrap my monitoring and alarm integration plans.

I suppose I could have either replaced them after inspection (but then if I sell it would be a headache) or install them side-by-side. Decided neither was the better choice.

 

[AceCannon]

Any suggestions??? Going with the builder is cheaper as well.

On a tangential note - you better check with local code - I was planning on going the monitored route with my smoke detectors hooked up to my alarm system, but local code requires that smoke detectors be on a 120v power source and each detector has to have its own battery backup. So I had to scrap my monitoring and alarm integration plans.

I suppose I could have either replaced them after inspection (but then if I sell it would be a headache) or install them side-by-side. Decided neither was the better choice.

I replaced ONE of my 120v with a GE 350CC (or maybe it is a 350CX?). It runs off 120v and has battery backup, but also includes a relay to interface with alarm panels. So when any of my smokes or CO monitors alarm, the single GE notifies the Elk. It doesn't localize the event within the house, but it does allow for all smokes/CO to be monitored by the central station.

 

[ano]

Check other threads because this has been discussed MANY times before. Here is the Readers Digest version.

Do install 120V smokes to code.

Don't monitor these smokes using a relay NOT approved for such monitoring. Also, local code sometimes states that monitored smokes are NOT to be Ionization type (which 120V battery smokes are) and are to be Photoelectric type.

So, DO install separate smokes monitored by your panel. Yes you'll have twice as many smokes but you will be following code and your family will be safe.

DO also install monitored CO sensors. The HAI does have a sensor type for this. It causes a local alarm but does not call the fire department. The fire department would get very angry if you call them for every CO alarm. Just get out of the house and call your furnace/HW heater guy/gal to fix the problem.

You can find combo smoke/CO detectors that have two separate outputs, one for smoke (fire department required) and one for CO (no fire department.) BUT the best location for smoke and the best location for CO could be different. Its really not BEST to combine them, but if you are determined to, they do have combo devices.

 

[pete_c]

I went thru this endeavor last year with my HAI Omni-Pro II. The builder installed 120VAC with battery smokes.

I added separate smoke and CO detectors to my panel. The extra smokes / CO detectors are noticible if you look for them.

In FL just replaced all of the 120VAC smokes with new ones. There (home was built 8 years ago) there is a smoke in every room in the house.

 

[ano]

The recommendation I see is that smokes be replaced every 8 - 10 years, so replacing old ones is probably a good idea.

 

[pete_c]

I didn't know about replacing them every 8-10 years. The one's in FL started to be kind of ultra sensitive going off for no apparent reasons after about 8 years. Time consuming in that they were all on 9 foot ceilings and that they were in every room of the house.

Relating to adding HAI sensors in FL wondering if I would have to match what I have or just cover enough area?

 

[Digger]

The NFPA and UL recommend replacing smoke detectors at least every 10 years. UL recommends replacing CO detectors every 5 years.