# Temporarily disabling home fire alarms **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515 "2009-06-02T22:30:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/1 "2009-06-02T22:30:59Z")
Those round white ones on my ceiling, is there a way to put them into “shut up you piece of shit, I’m trying to cook here” mode? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/2 "2009-06-02T22:40:47Z")
Yeah…don’t burn your food. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/3 "2009-06-02T22:44:07Z")
Some do, in fact, have a silence mode for just this purpose. Pressing the button dials down the sensitivity so it doesn’t alarm at the slightest hint of smoke. After, typically, ten minutes or so the sensitivity returns to normal. Check your unit’s manual. Removing the battery is not recommended, since the one time you forget to put it back in is the one time you need it. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/4 "2009-06-02T22:45:52Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Removing the battery is not recommended, since the one time you forget to put it back in is the one time you need it. If these are battery-powered units, and you pull the battery, leave the cover dangling open as a reminder that you need to put the battery back in after the steak-broiling is done. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/5 "2009-06-02T22:48:31Z")
> [@Early\_Out](#): > > If these are battery-powered units, and you pull the battery, leave the cover dangling open as a reminder that you need to put the battery back in after the steak-broiling is done. I’ve seen people miss signs written in two-foot tall neon letters or unable to find the glasses perched right on their faces. I still won’t recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/6 "2009-06-02T22:51:29Z")
If the alternative is having the alarm blaring long enough for the neighbors to summon the fire department, pulling the battery might be the safer choice. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/7 "2009-06-03T01:08:26Z")
Without the smoke alarm, how will you know when dinner is ready? ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/8 "2009-06-03T02:37:33Z")
I wish our alarm could be reduced in sensitivity, not because of cooking, but because it goes off every time we shower. It’s so annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/9 "2009-06-03T02:42:20Z")
Another option is a photoelectric type smoke detector, instead of the more common ionization type. They are often preferred in kitchens because they are less sensitive to cooking smoke, which consists of smaller aerosol particles than typical building fires. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/10 "2009-06-03T02:45:49Z")
Something I’ve mentioned to people is to put a shower cap over it. BUT BUT BUT if you are going to do that, then you MUST have some sort of a string dangling down from it for two reasons 1)to remind you to remove the shower cap 2)you can’t use the “I’m to lazy” excuse for not taking it down. Just pull on the string. Also, if you were to do that (or any method mentioned), I’d also suggest a sign on your bedroom door/bathroom mirror/TV remote/etc reminding you to un-disable it before you go to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/11 "2009-06-03T04:58:56Z")
Dear Old Dad accuses Dear Old Mom of cooking by smoke detector on occasion… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/12 "2009-06-03T05:13:11Z")
Wouldn’t it be easier just to move the smoke detector to a more neutral location? ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/13 "2009-06-03T11:32:34Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > Dear Old Dad accuses Dear Old Mom of cooking by smoke detector on occasion… 😛 If you don’t have a timer, that would be very handy. _ **IT’S DONE!!!** _ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/14 "2009-06-03T16:07:55Z")
God damn it, what a pain in the ass these things are. Mine only have the “test” button on them and no sensitivity option. If my neighbors do call the fire department without checking whether or not its a legit fire first how likely am I to be fined for having the firemen come out without a fire going on? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/15 "2009-06-03T16:12:54Z")
> [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](#): > > God damn it, what a pain in the ass these things are. Mine only have the “test” button on them and no sensitivity option. > > If my neighbors do call the fire department without checking whether or not its a legit fire first how likely am I to be fined for having the firemen come out without a fire going on? I’m going to go with “not likely at all to be fined” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/16 "2009-06-03T16:22:30Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I wish our alarm could be reduced in sensitivity, not because of cooking, but because it goes off every time we shower. It’s so annoying. You need to stop showering with Zyklon B. :d&r: ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/17 "2009-06-03T16:24:14Z")
> [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](#): > > Those round white ones on my ceiling, is there a way to put them into “shut up you piece of shit, I’m trying to cook here” mode? I had a smoke detector in my kitchen that had a button to disable the alarm. I still removed it though. It was more sensitive to steam than to smoke and after a third dinner party was interrupted by it, I decided I’d rather take the risk of a kitchen fire getting big enough to activate the hallway detector. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporarily-disabling-home-fire-alarms/498515/18 "2009-06-04T01:22:43Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Wouldn’t it be easier just to move the smoke detector to a more neutral location? Location is key. If it is a battery operated unit it will be easy to move. Downstairs we have two smoke detectors. One in the living room covering that room and the kitchen, because there is a door to the solor room it also has a smoke detector. If you really think you need an alarm in the kitchen get a heat detector.