Kidde offers the first UL-Listed wireless smoke alarms. The Kidde Wireless System includes battery operated and AC powered alarms to fit almost any residential structure. The Kidde Wireless System is easy to install and only involves a few simple steps. The first step is to determine what type of smoke alarms are currently in your home: battery powered, hardwired, or interconnected. Interconnected alarms/detectors insures that everyone in the house will hear the alarm when it sounds by ringing all of the units at the same time. Generally, in a new construction home, the contractor will have already hard wired your alarms together. However, in existing buildings, this can sometimes be expensive or physically impossible. That is the beauty of the Kidde RF-SM-DC unit. You simply install the batteries in the unit (included, name brand too!) and hang the unit. It will then communicate with your other RF-SM-DC units in the event of a fire or smokey situation. Click HERE to buy the RF-SM-DC from our recommended distributor. At last check, it was listed for only $43.99!

BRK 9120B

MODEL 9120B - AC Powered Smoke Alarm with battery back-up, silence, latching and Perfect Mount system. Introducing the Revolutionary 9120 Series smoke alarms. They have been redesigned from the ground up. They install faster, perform better and are even smarter than before. All of these improvements help reduce nuisance alarms and save you time and money. Meets codes where an AC smoke alarm with battery back-up is required. Click HERE to buy the 9120B from our recommended distributor. At last check, it was listed for only $12.90!  Tips From The Pros! Whenever possible, use a hardwired detector with Battery Backup. You might be tempted to use the cheapest to just "get by" but in the event your battery dies, you'll want to make sure your family and home are still protected. Of course, hardwired detectors aren't always an option, so be sure to at least put something up. The BRK detectors all meet code for smoke and CO alarms (if equipped). *Working with your home's electrical connections is dangerous if you are not familiar with this sort of thing. If you are uncertain, always contact a licensed Electrician.

 Flakey Power

So it's the weekend about 11:30. You don't quite feel like lunch, but you want something warm and satisfying. You throw a frozen burrito in the microwave and nuke it for 2 minutes. Suddenly, partway through your burrito warming, your microwave shuts off along with maybe a room air conditioner, your daughters hair dryer, and the air pump in the aquarium. Why does this keep happening? If this sounds familiar, then listen up, here is the reason:

The power in your house, after coming from the pole goes to a Panel with toggle/throw devices called circuit breakers. A breaker's job is to open or "break" a circuit if the load becomes too great in order to prevent wire failure, melting, overheating, and inevitably, fire. Now, why did my burrito shutdown electricity to 1/3 of my house (my fish can't breathe!)? The reason is because all of those devices overloaded the capacity of the breaker they are wired to, and it "tripped" or opened.

If this has happened to you before, you are probably familiar with going outside and switching the breaker back to "ON". But lets face it, when this happens it can be VERY inconvenient, especially if its night, and its raining, and the squirrels are out to get you, just waiting to ambush you on your front (or back) porch.

Here is our suggestion:
Next time your power does go out, make a note of which lights, devices, appliances are without power. This tells you that all of these are running through the same breaker. When you go outside to turn the breaker back "ON", notice the number value of this breaker. Maybe it's 20, 15, 30, etc... Now you can look at the little UL or other product information sticker on each of your appliances on this circuit, and you should be able to find how many AMPS each device draws. This AMP value relates to the number on the circuit breaker (20, 15, 30, etc...). Add up all of the AMP values for each device on that breaker. Chances are your sum is higher than the breaker's AMP rating. This means when all devices are running, you overload that circuit, and to avoid overheating and/or fire, the breaker breaks the circuit by switching to "OFF".

Now, keep this in mind: Appliances, especially those with electric motors usually have a high AMPerage draw. Refrigerators, washers and dryers, air conditioners, etc... for the most part require a dedicated circuit. Have an electrician come to your house and evaluate your specific setup for the addition of one or more circuits. Quite often, the existing panel will have unused slots for additional circuits, and your electrician can determine whether or not your line can support it. Older construction homes didn't always provide a specific line for appliances like the garbage disposal, or wall air conditioner, so if simply moving one high draw appliance to a new or dedicated circuit will solve your problem, then it should be a relatively easy and reasonably priced job for an experienced electrician.

*Always remember to consult an experienced, licensed electrician for any electrical work. Electricity is a part of our lives in everyday use, but the misuse of it can prove fatal even in the home. If you have any hesitation when considering a DIY(Do It Yourself) repair, just call an electrician. It's always better to be safe than sorry!