Each week we offer a new How To article, here you will find useful information on how to do various household repairs and projects. Below we offer a section for you to "Ask The Experts"! Here you can ask for How To Information on any household repair job, project or renovation. We will try to publish your request on the Web, but we ask that you please leave your E-mail address so if we can not publish your request we will try to mail you an answer.

This weeks "How To"

Installing and Maintaining Smoke Detectors.
Yesterday we were cooking our Christmas turkey and one of our smoke detectors went off. I went up and reset the one causing the alarm, after doing that I decided to check the others. I discovered that one had a disconnected battery, the battery I had disconnected about two months ago and forgot about. The battery had become weak and the smoke detector began to beep, telling me to buy a new battery. Not having a battery on hand I disconnected the battery until I bought a new one. I would love to say don't do what I did, but I know that we do not always have batteries on hand and we will not listen to that beep until we buy one. What I will say is do what ever it takes to remind yourself to buy and new battery, I have taped mine to the front door.

Now first installing a new smoke detector.
Let's say you don't have or want to replace a smoke detector, what kind should you buy? Let's begin by saying that there is no such thing as a bad smoke detector. Any CSA and or UL approved smoke detector will do a good job for you. Go in to your local hardware store and you will find a large assortment of detectors all of which have various features and benefits, which one is right for you. Lets start with how the detectors are powered; 1) battery, these are commonly powered by a 9 volt battery but are available in a 10 year lithium battery. 2) hard wired, these are installed similar to a light fixture. 3) hard wired with battery back up, self explanatory. All of these smoke detectors come with various features such as lights, momentary shut offs, various sensitivity levels and more. The minimum that we recommend is a lighted detector in the main hallway on every level of your house, along with a highly sensitive detector in each bedroom. We do not recommend you trying to wire your house for a new hard wire detector, this should only be done by a qualified electrician with the required permit.

Tools
A multi screwdriver
A small drill
Needle nose pliers
A circuit tester
Materials
A new smoke detector, all of the materials that you require should be in the box.

There are 2 steps in this project.

1 - Choosing a location. Smoke detectors can be places on either the ceiling or a wall. If placed on a wall the top of the smoke detector should be 6" from the ceiling (No Closer). If placed on the ceiling the closer to the center the better and should be at least 12" from a wall (No Closer). The reason for keeping the detectors away from adjacent wall / ceiling is that this is a dead air space and delays the detector.

Before continuing. If wiring a hard wire detector, ensure that the power is shut off at the breaker panel.

 2 - Your new smoke detector includes a mounting plate and a template guide. Use the template to mark the location of the mounting screws. Using your drill, drill two hole for the screw anchors. This step is not required for hard wire detectors. Using the two screws mount the plate to the surface or the electrical box. Next, for hard wire detectors, wire in the adapter plug, black wire to black, white to white green to the ground screw in the box and plug into the detector. Now screw the detector to the mounting plate. Install battery and test the detector.

Testing and maintenance of smoke detectors.
There isn't a lot to testing and maintaining a smoke detector. The thing is to JUST DO IT! Testing of your detector should be done every month and requires pushing the test button. Maintenance involves twice a year changing the battery and lightly vacuuming the unit.

If you find yourself stuck, give us a call 250-862-4548.

We will be happy to do what we can on the phone or we can come to you.

Click Here For The How To


Information Survey

The purpose of this survey is to collect information from you. We value your opinion and would like to here from you anytime. The information you have provided we help us to provide a better and more usefull web site. You can help us learn how we may help our clients more. Any and all information provided will be for the sole use of My Hubby Handy Man Sevice. We DO NOT sell, trade or give away any form of information we aquire from our web site.

This survey is divided into the following sections:

Fill out the information in each section as requested. Then at the end of the form supply your name and contact information, and submit the form. You will receive a confirmation message from us shortly.

SECTION A -- Your Requests

Here you can ask for specific information or help us with our plans for future articles.

  1. If you have a specific how to questions dealing with household repairs and such, please enter it here:



  2. What would you like to see more information on:

    Decorating Plumbing routine maintenancerenovating other, please list

SECTION B - Our Web Site

Please let us know what you think of our web site. We want to make it the best we can, but we need your help.

  1. How did you find our Web Site?

    silk.net surffing Our advertising Search engine Other
  2. Do you like our background music?


  3. Do you want us to keep the background music?



  4. Do you like our web site?



  5. Will you visit us again?


Back to Top
SECTION C -- What Can We Do For You?

Here you will find an overview of the sevices that we provide. For a more detailed discription please click on the link below.

Detailed services.

  1. Which of the following jobs might you hire our company for? 
    Plumbing Repairs          Landscaping & yard clean up    Repairs & Renovations 
Electrical Repairs	  Safety & Security                     Consultation
Painting		          Custom Wood Work                Teaching You How To 
Other, enter job here
  2. Would you like us to quote you on a job? Please give a brief discription of the work required, and we will be most happy to quote your job.


  3. Would you like some more information about our company? We would be happy to send you some.

    We can send it by either regular (snail mail) or E-mail.

    Name               
Street               
City                  
    Phone Number  		
Postal Code

    E-Mail


FORM SUBMISSION

Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions and fill out our form.

Once again, the information you have provided we help us to provide a better, more usefull, web site and how we may help our clients more. Any and all information provided will be for the sole use of My Hubby Handy Man Sevice. We DO NOT sell, trade or give away any form of information we aquire from our web site.

Back to Top

Created by the How To Experts at My Hubby Handy Man Service.
Copyright © 1999, My Hubby Handy Man Service. All rights reserved.
Revised: December 26, 1999.