Micro ProfileFEATURES: Constructed of plastic, White in color Designed for profile mounting up to 5/8" (16mm) wide, also foamies and original designs
INCLUDES: Two sections of Du-Bro Micro Profile Landing Gear with mounting hardware with wheel collars and drilling template for proper fuselage placement
REQUIRES: Attaching to fuselage and wheels of modeler's choice
SPECS: Length: 7.8" (199mm) Width: 1.7" (44mm) at fuselage mounting area Length: 1.2" (31.5mm) at fuselage mounting area
Pros:Battery operated, especially effective on fast flash fire, small profile, works well in kitchens
Cons:Not quite as effective on smoldering fires
The Bottom Line: Practical fire protection doesn't have to cost a fortune. The Fire Sentry Micro Profile Smoke Alarm Detector 0914 at less than $10 each will give you peace of mind.
When we moved into our present home in South Florida almost 10 years ago, the property listing specified that the house had fire detectors installed. Of course all homes built in South Florida for the last 20 years or so require the presence of fire detectors. So we felt secure. What we didn't realize immediately was that this was a minimal standard. In our home, a three bedroom, three bath, two story house the standard could be satisfied with just two alarms. One alarm is placed downstairs near the foot of the stairs, with a second alarm positioned in the center of the upstairs hallway.
Both of these alarms are photoelectric, responding well to slow smoldering smoky fires. But, these alarms are powered solely by the electric system of the house. Should an electrical fire erupt and interfere with electrical power our fire detectors could be blind to the danger. When I learned this I started to feel a lot less secure. I felt the need to beef up our system a bit.
Fire Sentry Micro Profile Smoke Alarm Detector 0914
On a trip to Home Depot I noticed a display for Kidde's Fire Sentry Micro Profile Smoke Alarm Detector 0914. These alarms are small (4" diameter) low profile ionization alarms that are individually powered by common 9V batteries. They respond best to fast flashing fires that do not necessarily create much smoke. According to the packaging the minimum number of alarms I would need for my house would be 3 units. But of course I wasn't looking for minimum protection. According to Palm Beach County Code I already had minimum protection with my two photoelectric units that came with the house. I wanted more.
Since the alarms were only $8 each including the needed 9V battery I decided that an additional alarm in each of our eight rooms wouldn't be overkill. To my way of thinking it was going to be a well spent $64.
Installation
The Fire Sentry Micro Profile Smoke Alarm Detector 0914 comes equipped with everything needed for quick installation. Basically the units are held in place by two screws that hold the base mounting plate against the ceiling. Included with each unit is a pair of plastic sheet rock anchors with corresponding screws. These units are small and light and the need for anchors for all but the thinnest sheet rock is optional. But, since they included the anchors the extra minute it might take to drill guide holes seemed worth the effort. Installation of all eight units took about an hour.
Once the mounting plate is in place, insert the included 9V battery into the unit and twist the unit into the mounting plate. The test button on the unit should be depressed and held until the alarm sounds. The alarm, at 85 db can be heard throughout the house. The manufacturer recommends testing each unit weekly. I probably test just a few of these alarms monthly and find that this frequency is more than sufficient. Alkaline batteries will generally last for about a year, but I tend to change them twice a year when changing the clocks in the house. While this regimen may be slightly excessive it is easy to remember.
Warranty
Kidde Safety warranties the Fire Sentry Micro Profile Smoke Alarm Detector 0914 for a period of three years. Our units are at least 2 or 3 years out of warranty and they continue to test successfully. Fortunately, we haven't had the need to test them for real.
Bottom Line
Practical fire protection doesn't have to cost a fortune. The Fire Sentry Micro Profile Smoke Alarm Detector 0914 at less than $10 each will give you peace of mind.
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