smoke or CO sensing device

[oilstinks]

What do you guys prefer for a wood stove? Smoke or Co detector or both. What kind/brand? I know some work on different pricipals which is better?

 

[Jimbob]

1) Both
2) whichever one is cheapest/easiest to get.

Don't forget, not all house fires are caused by woodstoves. CO can come from any appliance that burns Nat. gas, Propane, Oil, Coal, or wood. I think most houses should have both. All houses should have at LEAST one smoke detector on each level.

All smoke and CO detectors have to meet certain standards, so any one of them should be okay (as long as you keep good batteries in them).
Smoke detectors only last 10 years, if yours are older replace them (so I've been told).

 

[n6crv]

Hello Oilstinks, use both. I was using a Ion smoke detector in the same room as our wood stove. I have changed over to a photo detector as the old one would go off way to fast and often. I just moved it to another room so we have both kinds. The Co detector has never gone off but has gotten up to 22 ppm. I don't think brand really matters.
Don

 

[trapshooter9]

I just got a new one at Wal Mart. It detects both smoke and CO. Cost $35.

 

[jebatty]

If you have a NG or LP heating appliance, also get a detector that will detect leaking gas. About a month ago, with no gas appliance even turned on, our daughter's CO/Gas detector in the upstairs bedroom went off. None of us could smell anything. She called the gas co, which responded immediately, and after a little bit of searching discovered an underground gas leak outside the house. The repair crew arrived within an hour, worked all night, and replaced the gas line from the main to the house. We're thankful the whole thing didn't go boom, as there could have been a trapped pocket of underground gas that might have gone boom in the right circumstances.

 

[firefighterjake]

What do you guys prefer for a wood stove? Smoke or Co detector or both. What kind/brand? I know some work on different pricipals which is better?

Answer: Yes

All kidding aside . . . Smoke and CO detectors are good for a home heating with wood . . . in fact they're good for any home.

I don't place the detectors in the room with the woodstove to cut down on alarms caused by smoke spillage, but have them in the hall and room next to the room with the stove.

As you noted there are two different kinds of smoke detectors: ionization and photoelectric. One type detects slow, smoldering fires faster, whereas the other detects fast, flaming fires faster. For years (and even now) the most common type I see are the ion detectors, although PEs are starting to make some real in-roads as folks start to install both types in their homes for maximum fire protection.

I personally like the dual ionization/photoelectric detectors on the market. In theory there should be fewer false alarms and a faster response to fast, flaming fires as well as slow, smoldering fires. I also like the ten-year lithium battery powered detectors. In either case, buying a detector with a hush feature is a "must have" feature . . . a little more money, but nice to silence a detector when need be. As far as brands -- any UL or FM approved detector works for me. I have First Alerts (BRK Brand) in my home simply because they work with our FD to provide low cost detectors to us for handing out . . . however as I said, any UL or FM approved detector is good.

CO detector . . . I currently have an electric CO detector. Honestly, I prefer the detectors that have a back-up battery incorporated into them. Also, brands such as Nighthawk that display the actual CO concentration detected by the detector is a nice feature . . . more helpful to the FD or heating company when they respond. Brands -- again . . . UL or FM approved.

P.S. Don't forget to purchase an ABC fire extinguisher as well.

 

[Redox]

Hello Oilstinks, use both. I was using a Ion smoke detector in the same room as our wood stove. I have changed over to a photo detector as the old one would go off way to fast and often. I just moved it to another room so we have both kinds. The Co detector has never gone off but has gotten up to 22 ppm. I don't think brand really matters.
Don

That's an awful lot of CO for a residence. The OSHA limit in the workplace is 50 PPM over an 8 hour shift. My CO detectors routinely show zero. The only time I have ever seen anything was in an old zero clearance fireplace that I was messing with. I later found a break in the prefab chimney.

Might wanna check that out.

Chris