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[Ju Ju]

Several years ago we had some work done in our home and had to have a new fuse box put in for safety. Yesterday, the switch for lights and heating tripped, so we did the usual checks, but couldn't identify the cause, so called an electrician in, as the one who installed it lives a couple hundred miles away. The chap found the fuse was scorched and melded to the next fuse. He got his boss to check and found this fuse box was withdrawn several years ago as there are fire risks. Hubbie was able to get in contact with the original electrician who is horrified, particularly as he installed the same fuse box for my parents. He is coming down to sort theirs out. He was unaware of the recall. I find it horrifying. As far as we are concerned we thought we had done everything right. There have been 2 serious fires in this road in the last few years, next door and up the road, where the house was completely destroyed.

[honeybun]

Good job that you found out with no great damage done Ju Ju.

Hope you get it replaced soon with no problems.


Fire alarms, either battery or electric should be checked regularly. We had electric ones installed when we moved into this house. I hoover them regularly.


Honeyb
x

[CLKD]

We have a modern fuse box in the garage with separate 'trips' for light bulbs but when they pop they don't put out the sockets.  I would never have electric fire alarms because if the power goes off, they won't work and also, I stayed in a B&B recently where the alarm went off every 20 mins. ......... the main fuse box was in the owner's property so they had to switch off the whole system to all the house and B&B rooms 

However: Mum finds that at age 88, she can't get to the fire alarm fixed to the ceiling ........ so when the battery runs low and begins to squeak  ........ I will get DH to test ours 2-morrow, thanks for the heads up!

[honeybun]

The electric fire alarm has a battery back up 

Bit pointless otherwise.

The local fire officer will send someone to change a battery on an elderly person's fire alarm.


Honeyb
x

[tiger74]

Was just about to post exactly the same.... mains operated smoke alarms and heat sensors have battery back-up to cover the eventuality of mains power failure.  Ours do.  Also, local fire service are worth contacting re: advice on fire safety and smoke alarms.  My local service prioritise "people living alone, families with small children, the elderly, the disabled and people living in remote areas. We also prioritise high risk homes, such as thatched properties, houseboats and mobile homes."   

[Ju Ju]

I check our fire alarm regularly, but we don't have one in the garage, where the fuse box is sited. Better get one for there.

 Many years back, my friends electric blanket caught fire. Had the fire alarm not gone off, they wouldn't have known and would have been overcome by smoke. The people next door had not updated the fuse box, when installing an electric shower soon after moving in. It was sited in the kitchen. They all got out safely. I looked after the children while the fire brigade did their stuff. There was extensive smoke damage. The house destroyed up the road was empty at the time, apart from the dogs. A neighbour bravely went and rescued them. The fire investigators thought that was an electrical fault. They lost so much. It made me think what was really important, other than people and pets. What would you rescue if you had the chance?

[CLKD]

DH.  Family photos.  Precious photos stored on CDs.

Problem is - Mum won't 'bother' anyone, has to make a crisis out of such issues  - she told me: 'but if it's in the middle of the night the fire people won't come out and I can't cope with it ….. I'll move my bed into the garage' - so DH said 'move it then' ……..

[honeybun]

Get your mum electric ones then there would be no problem. They are far more efficient than the battery variety.

Honeyb
x

[CLKD]