KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE You can read all of our articles on our website. Having trouble getting our emails? Change your spam controls and whitelist ken@kirschenbaumesq.com ****************************** Do smoke detector limitations need special disclaimer February 17, 2025 *********************** Do smoke detector limitations need special disclaimer *********************** Ken I have had five instances with customers over the years with System Sensor brand smoke detectors that did not trigger an alarm when the rooms that had the smoke detectors went off. Some instances were smoke from food burning from the kitchen, some from fire places with a closed flu, and one from a central vacuum unit that did catch fire in a basement. I have contacted System Sensor on three of these occasions and had technical support tell me that certain colors of smoke are harder to detect by the smoke detectors. I’ve been asked “is it white smoke or black smoke?” My reply included “it’s the color produced by the things that catch on fire in a house that smoke detectors are supposed to detect. Is there disclaimers that smoke detectors don’t actually detect dark smoke? This happened within a month of me writing this where smoke from a fireplace that backed into the hall didn’t trip any of the smoke detectors in the house. There were two within 30 feet if the fire place and the customer was adamant there was smoke all over the house. This is beyond concerning. I don’t get that smoke detectors are designed to be tripped by canned smoke tester spray but not smoke from real fire causing materials? I cannot be the only dealer to have experienced this. Regards, Paul ************************* Response ************************* I don’t recall this coming up before and I don’t have the technical knowledge to opine on smoke detector limitations, or deficiencies. I don’t know if this is problem with one or all smoke detector brands. Lucky we have many fire alarm experts who share their knowledge on this forum and we look forward to hearing from them. The K&K Standard Fire All in One and other Standard Forms have sufficient provisions addressing system limitations. That will not excuse using equipment you know doesn’t work or won’t work in certain situations, in which case the limitations need to be specified in the Schedule of Equipment and Services and in the Disclaimer Notice. There should be more to this than suggesting changing the sensitivity settings on the detectors or use another brand. One thing is for sure, use the Fire All in One. ************************** STANDARD FORMS Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements click here: www.alarmcontracts.com *************************** CONCIERGE LAWYER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE ALARM INDUSTRY - You can check out the program and sign up here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/concierge or contact our Program Coordinator Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304. *********************** ALARM ARTICLES: You can always read our Articles on our website at ww.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles updated daily ******************** THE ALARM EXCHANGE - the alarm industries leading classified and business exchange - updated daily ************************* Wondering how much your alarm company is worth? Click here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/what-is-my-alarm-company-worth ****************************** Getting on our Email List / Email Articles archived: Many of you are forwarding these emails to friends or asking that others be added to the list. Sign up for our daily newsletter here: Sign Up. You can read articles and order alarm contracts on our web site www.alarmcontracts.com ************************** Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC Attorneys at Law 200 Garden City Plaza Garden City, NY 11530 516 747 6700 x 301 ken@kirschenbaumesq.com www.KirschenbaumEsq.com
