BRK electronic SC01NM08 Special Compliance Considerations, General Limitations of SMOKE/CO Alarms

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SPECIAL COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

This unit alone is not a suitable substitute for complete fire detection sys- tems in places housing many people—like apartment buildings, condo- miniums, hotels, motels, dormitories, hospitals, long-term health care facilities, nursing homes, day care facilities, or group homes of any kind—even if they were once single-family homes. It is not a suitable sub- stitute for complete fire detection systems in warehouses, industrial facil- ities, commercial buildings, and special-purpose non-residential buildings which require special fire detection and alarm systems. Depending on the building codes in your area, this unit may be used to provide additional protection in these facilities.

The following information applies to all five types of buildings listed below:

In new construction, most building codes require the use of AC or AC/DC pow- ered Smoke Alarms only. AC, AC/DC, or DC powered Smoke Alarms can be used in existing construction as specified by local building codes. Refer to NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code), local building codes, or consult your Fire Department for detailed fire protection requirements in buildings not defined as “households.”

1.Single-Family Residence: Single family home, townhouse. It is recom- mended this unit be installed on every level of the home, in every bedroom, and in each bedroom hallway.

2.Multi-Family or Mixed Occupant Residence:

Apartment building, condominium. This unit is suitable for use in individual apartments or condos, provided a primary fire detection system already exists to meet fire detection requirements in common areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this unit in common areas may not provide sufficient warning to all residents or meet local fire protection ordinances/regulations.

3.Institutions: Hospitals, day care facilities, long-term health care facilities. This unit is suitable for use in individual patient sleeping/resident rooms, pro- vided a primary fire detection system already exists to meet fire detection requirements in common areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this unit in common areas may not provide sufficient warning to all residents or meet local fire protection ordinances/regulations.

4.Hotels and Motels: Also boarding houses and dormitories. This unit is suitable for use inside individual sleeping/resident rooms, provided a primary fire detection system already exists to meet fire detection requirements in common areas like lobbies, hallways, or porches. Using this unit in common areas may not provide sufficient warning to all residents or meet local fire protection ordinances/regulations.

5.Warehouses/Commercial Buildings: DO NOT use this Smoke/CO Alarm in warehouses, industrial or commercial buildings, special-purposenon-residen- tial buildings, RVs, boats, or airplanes. This Smoke/CO Alarm is specifically designed for residential use, and may not provide adequate protection in non- residential applications.

GENERAL LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE/CO ALARMS

This Smoke/CO Alarm is intended for residential use. It is not intended for use in industrial applications where Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for Carbon Monoxide Alarms must be met. The Smoke Alarm portion of this device is not intended to alert hearing impaired residents. Special purpose Smoke Alarms should be installed for hearing impaired resi- dents (CO Alarms are not yet available for the hearing impaired).

Smoke/CO Alarms cannot work without power. Battery operated units cannot work if the batteries are missing, disconnected or dead, if the wrong type of bat- teries are used, or if the batteries are not installed correctly. AC units cannot work if the AC power is cut off for any reason (open fuse or circuit breaker, failure along a power line or at a power station, electrical fire that burns the electrical wires, etc.). If you are concerned about the limitations of battery or AC power, install both types of units.

This Smoke/CO Alarm will not sense smoke or CO that does not reach the sensors. It will only sense smoke or CO at the sensor. Smoke or CO may be present in other areas. Doors or other obstructions may affect the rate at which CO or smoke reaches the sensors. If bedroom doors are usually closed at night, we recommend you install an alarm device (Combination CO and Smoke Alarm, or separate CO Alarms and Smoke Alarms) in each bedroom and in the hallway between them.

This Smoke/CO Alarm may not sense smoke or CO on another level of the home. Example: This alarm device, installed on the second floor, may not sense smoke or CO in the basement. For this reason, one alarm device may not give adequate early warning. Recommended minimum protection is one alarm device in every sleeping area, every bedroom, and on every level of your home. Some experts recommend battery powered Smoke and CO Alarms be used in conjunction with interconnected AC powered Smoke Alarms. For details, see “About Smoke Alarms” for details.

Smoke/CO Alarms may not be heard. The alarm horn loudness meets or exceeds current UL standards of 85 dB at 10 feet. However, if the Smoke/CO Alarm is installed outside the bedroom, it may not wake up a sound sleeper or one who has recently used drugs or has been drinking alcoholic beverages. This is especially true if the door is closed or only partly open. Even persons who are awake may not hear the alarm horn if the sound is blocked by dis- tance or closed doors. Noise from traffic, stereo, radio, television, air condi- tioner, or other appliances may also prevent alert persons from hearing the alarm horn. This Smoke/CO Alarm is not intended for people who are hearing impaired.

The Alarm may not have time to alarm before the fire itself causes damage, injury, or death, since smoke from some fires may not reach the unit immediately. Examples of this include persons smoking in bed, chil- dren playing with matches, or fires caused by violent explosions resulting from escaping gas.

This Smoke/CO Alarm is not a substitute for life insurance. Though this Smoke/CO Alarm warns against increasing CO levels or the presence of smoke, BRK Brands, Inc. does not warrant or imply in any way that they will protect lives. Homeowners and renters must still insure their lives.

This Smoke/CO Alarm has a limited life. Although this Smoke/CO Alarm and all of its parts have passed many stringent tests and are designed to be as reliable as possible, any of these parts could fail at any time. Therefore, you must test this device weekly. The unit should be replaced immediately if it is not operating properly.

This Smoke/CO Alarm is not foolproof. Like all other electronic devices, this Smoke/CO Alarm has limitations. It can only detect smoke or CO that reaches the sensors. It may not give early warning of the source of smoke or CO is in a remote part of the home, away from the alarm device.

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Contents Table of Contents USER’S ManualIntroduction Where this Alarm should not be Installed InstallationWhere to Install this Alarm HOW to Install this AlarmIf Your SMOKE/CO Alarm Sounds Weekly TestingRegular Maintenance What YOU Need to Know about COHOW can I Protect MY Family from CO POISONING? Regulatory Information for Smoke Alarms Regulatory Information for SMOKE/CO AlarmsRegulatory Information for CO Alarms About Smoke AlarmsGeneral Limitations of SMOKE/CO Alarms Special Compliance ConsiderationsMulti-Family or Mixed Occupant Residence Troubleshooting Guide Limited Warranty