Safe-Home.com

Question about the Costar 9 volt RV Carbon Monoxide Alarm.

Q: "I need to install three 9 volt carbon monoxide alarms to comply with Amanda's law. Does the 9RV meet the standards? Thanks." Carl

Answer: Yes. This battery operated carbon monoxide alarm meets the UL 2034 requirements and also the New York City requirements to protect occupants of homes, hotels, etc. from carbon monoxide poisoning. Under Amanda's Law which was passed in February 2010, all homes built before January 1, 2008, are permitted to have battery-powered CO alarms. Those houses built after January 1, 2008 must have hard-wired alarms, i.e. AC alarms that may or may not have a battery back-up. Prior to this law, only homes built or bought after July 30, 2002 were required to have carbon monoxide alarms.

Amanda's law also requires contractors in New York State to install a CO alarm when replacing a hot water tank or furnace if the home is not equipped with an alarm.

Amanda's law came after 16-year-old Amanda Hansen of West Seneca, New York, who died on January 17, 2009, due to a carbon monoxide leak from a defective boiler while she was sleeping at a friend's house.Amanda's parents, despite their grief, worked hard to get this law enacted. The law requires CO alarms in all existing one- and two-family residences: each has to have at least one carbon monoxide alarm installed on the lowest floor of the building with a sleeping area. The alarm must be clearly heard in all sleeping areas over background noise levels even with doors closed.

Other hard-wired carbon monoxide alarms to consider are the Safe-T-Alert 120VAC CO Alarm and the Costar 12 Volt Hard-Wired Alarms that have relays to connect to a security system as well.

Thanks for your question. Remember to check all smoke detectors and all natural gas and propane gas alarms at least once a month.

Sincerely,

Barbara

Question about the Scentry III GFRAB Propane/Natural Gas Home Gas Detector.

Q: "Our oil burning furnace was replaced with a propane gas furnace. Our concern is gas leaks while we away, i.e. we want protection against explosions and fires. The CCI Controls gas valve system is no longer made. How does this unit work? What components do we need? Thanks. Jim."

Answer: The Scentry III GFRAB propane/natural gas detector is only one component of this home safety system. To have a complete system, you need these additional components:

• The Scentry III Gas Valve Controller
• The Battery Back Up in case there is a power failure.
• A compatible gas valve such as this .75 inch that is CSA (AGA/CGA) Certificate number 229521-1656058 Australian Gas Association Certificate number 4235,UL Recognized File Number MH5939.
• Optional: Remote Gas Sensors. Up to 5 remote explosive gas sensors can be monitored by the Scentry III GFRAB unit.

The compatible valves are in .5, .75 and 1 inch sizes. Each valve is an electrically operated gas shut off valve that opens and closes on a demand signal from a thermostat or other controlling device. Can be used with both natural gas and LP gas at pressures up to 0.5 psi. The White Rodgers replacement is a compression spring closing and soft seat construction gas valve.

The advantage of this system is that the controller unit supports up to 5 calibrated remote sensors.

Scentry III-GFRAB Specifications:

• Case: ABS Plastic
• Physical Size: 7.6 inches by 4.6 inches
• Weight: 2.25 lbs
• Color: Gray
• Power consumption: 1.5va
• Supports up to 5 calibrated remote sensors (not included)
• Requires Scentry III-GVD gas valve (purchase separately)
• Supports Battery Back-Up (Not Included)
• Supports Gas Valve Controller for Explosive Gas (Not Included)
• Connections: screw terminals
• Input Power: 115VAC, 60 Hz
• Output Control Relays: 2 amps,
• 24 VAC Alarm Signal
• Output: 12V DC @500 ma
• Reset: manual
• Sensor Type: Tin Dioxide Semiconductor
• Alarm Points: Propane (LP) <5200 PPM Alarm Points: Natural Gas / Methane <12,200 PPM
• Manufactured Proudly in the USA for Safety First USA, Inc.
• Warranty: 1 year from date of purchase.

Thanks for your question. Just remember propane gas and natural gas are safe sources of energy if you add protective measures including alarms, shut off valves and regular maintenance of the appliances that use gas.

Sincerely,

Barbara

 

Questions about Gray Kids Edge Hearth Guard 54 Inch Pad Sticks and Gray Hearth Guard 7 Inch by 7 Inch Corners and Boing Edge Corner Strips (Pack of 4) -GREY

Q: "I am in charge of maintenance and safety in a factory that makes boxes and other packaging products. There are many sharp edges on railings, assembly lines, etc. We need wider corner and edge cushions due to the size of the edges. Are either of these products suitable? How difficult is it to install?

Answer: Both lines of product are fire-resistant, non-toxic and easily applied with contact cement if you prefer not to use the adhesive tape on the Kids Edge products. Boing recommends only the GE-Silicone I brand rubber silicone cement. A long sharp knife like a fillet knife is recommended for the cleanest cut. Lubricating the entire length of the knife with soapy water or liquid soap, then moving the knife back and forth with the blade straight will give the cleanest cut.

Gray and yellow are the more popular colors for industrial usage. If you have poles that require padding, we recommend the Boing Yellow Pole Pad if your poles have a 5 inch diameter. This brand has two halves that connect. Each half is 19.5 inches long and .5 inches thick. The other choice is the Kids Edge yellow padding which is 48 inches high and has an interior diameter of 2 1/8 inches. Two pieces can be wrapped about a pole and pieces can be added to fit. There are also matching yellow corners and wall padding for the Boing products.

Thanks for your question. Let us know if we can help further.

 Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the product 16 oz. Bottle Grip On Anti-Slip Solution SS0016

Q: "Can this be used on fingers/hands?" Carl
Answer: No, Grip-On is not for use on hands. To apply it to ceramic tile, concrete, marble, etc. to increase the coefficient of resistance to slipping, skidding, etc. , you should wear rubber gloves or be careful not to get the product on your hands.

Below is information from the Material Data Safety Sheet:

Chemical Name: Hydroxy Acetic Acid.

Physical State: Clear yellow, mild odor.

pH: 7.6.

Caution: Keep out of reach of children. Avoid eye contact. Wear rubber gloves. Use in ventilated area. Can be fatal if swallowed. Do not use on wood, vinyls or plastics.

Our feedback on this product has been completely positive. Applying the solution to my bathroom ceramic tile took only minutes. Since the product is clear and invisible after application, you don't have to worry about applying it "perfectly." I applied it over 3 years ago. It is great to get out of the shower or tub and not worry about hydroplaning with my wet feet.

Thank you for your question.
Sincerely, Barbara

Question about the product Product Code: =TD-MXS-40225, the Maxsa Innovations Motion-Activated 80 LED Security Floodlight.

Q: "Are the led lights changeable on this Maxsa Innovations Motion-Activated 80 LED Security Floodlight? What number of lumens does this light give?" Neel

Answer: No, the 80 LED's are not changeable. However, they are rated for 30,000 to 40,000 hours of on time. The lumens are about that of a 40 watt halogen lamp.

Recently, a residential treatment center in New York state chose to equip their center with these lights as a cost-saving, security measure. For this security light, you need a ladder and not an electrician to install the lights. And with solar power you save on electricity, too. The 15 foot cable to the solar panel even lets you install the light inside a building if you choose. Included is a 6V 4ah sealed lead acid rechargeable battery. This light can detect motion up to 35 feet away within a 180 degree detection area. Time, motion sensitivity and LUX (daylight sensitivity) adjustments. And the light can activate up to 360 times on one charge when on for a minute at a time.

Thanks for your question.
Sincerely, Barbara

Question about dangerous ceramic tile restaurant flooring and Grip-On .

Q: "We've been lucky so far, only our employees have slipped and fallen on our new flooring. When the new owner bought this formerly Chinese restaurant, he had all the old carpeting ripped out and replaced it with ceramic tile because he felt the tile was easier to keep clean. The tile was laid directly on the concrete slab. The water table is high since we are near the Rock River (Moline, Illinois) so moisture comes up through the tile sometimes and the floor is wet. We've tried everything to make it less slippy. Currently, the floor is cleaned every night with a degreaser followed by a detergent wash and then we pour chlorine bleach on it since we were told the chlorine would make it more slip resistant. The bleach does not help. Help!" Tina.

Answer: Reality is we stopped at this restaurant on the way back from Pennsylvania. The food was excellent. Even with my deep grip athletic shoes I was sliding on this floor as if I was on ice! It was scary to say the least. I talked with our server and Tina and the above was what they shared with me. I promised I would phone our Grip-On supplier and find out what actions the restaurant needed to take.

Here is what William shared with me:

• The janitor should degrease with Blu-It or a similar de-greaser that leaves no residue.
  
• Next, rinse the floor thoroughly with water. Remove all the old detergent and residue.
  
• Then swab the floor with Grip-On. One gallon treats about 400 square feet.
  
• After 20 minutes, wash it off with clear water
• Let dry.

Remember, William, said that there is grease in the air of most restaurants that will settle on the floor. The kitchen area may need mopped twice a day. The eating sections, probably once a day but perhaps more often in the grill areas. He recommended a 12 lb. cotton mop head and a clean bucket. Make sure the mop head is changed every few months.

The anti-slip quality should last about 1 year minimum if the floors are properly maintained.
I'll be faxing you the information, Tina. Hope to enjoy your teriyaki again soon!

Sincerely,
Barbara

Question about the Brown Boing Corner Strips BS-CS-48-200110 and Hearth Guard Edge Cushioning in Brown.

Q: "Our sons' bunk bed is located near to an exposed stained wooden ceiling beam. What suggestions do you have for padding the edges to keep them from hard bumps on their heads? The bunk bed is a standard twin length plus the head and foot boards. The beam is about 12 feet long. Thanks." Lynn

Answer: First, you have 144 inches more or less in length of the beam. Since it runs the entire length of the room, there is no need for corners.

If you want to cover both sides of the beam using the Boing Corner Strips, then you need to order a total of 8 strips since 144 divided by 39.5 equals 3.65 strips and you have two lengths of 144 to cover. These come 4 to a case with each strip being 39.5 inch long with a 2.25" x 2.25" lip and 1/2" thick

If you want to cover both sides with the Hearth Guard, you need to order 6 of the 54 inch strips (324 inches) or 5 lengths of 48 inches (240 inches) plus another 54 inches (294 total) just to be safe. The longest stick available is 54 inches long. This pad has a 2 3/8" x 2 3/8" lip.

The Boing Corner Strips come cases of 4 or 10 in 10 colors: Red, Orange,Yellow, Ivory, Green, Sky Blue, Indigo, Grey, Brown, and Purple. Matching corners come in 7 colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Sky Blue, Indigo, and Purple. Each corner is 4 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches and about 1/2 inch thick. There are no corners to match the ivory, grey or brown.

The Hearth Guard is available in ivory, gray, brown, black and taupe. If you want to protect the edges of the bunk bed, the corner cushions that match the hearth guard are 8 inches by 8 inches. Or there are smaller corner cushions and edge cushioning to match.

Use glue or tape to attach to the beam or you can use screws. We recommend the glue as it is easier. We used the hearth guard strips in taupe to protect taller persons from bumping their heads on our stair landing.

Both manufacturers emphasize that these products are fire resistant and non-toxic.

Thank you for your question.

Sincerely, Barbara

P.S. This customer phoned later to tell us she had used screws to attach the Boing edge strips to the beams and was very pleased with the results.

Question about Sensaphone remote temperature monitors that do not need hard wired telephone lines.

Q: "I've looked at your Temperature Guard Monitor for several years. I am now free to travel since I retired. I want to protect my home from furnace or air conditioner failures. But that monitor requires a land-based phone line and I don't have that anymore. (I discontinued my telephone land line and now use a VOIP,voice over internet phone.)Do you have a remote temperature monitor that does not need a land telephone line? I have high speed internet access." Thanks. Tom

Answer: Sensaphone just released a new product,the Sensaphone Web600. This is a compact web-based remote monitor that has an optional battery back-up for when power fails.

The Web600's compact case measures 4.5 inches by 3.25 inches by 1.5 inches. There are 6 available zone inputs. A battery back-up unit (not included) plugs into the left side of the unit. Also there is an ethernet connection and a input for the 5V DC power adapter. There are two lights, a power and an alarm light on the top of the unit.

Besides temperature monitoring, the Web600 can also read values from humidity sensors, air quality sensors, water leak detection sensors and much more. For example, if you are worried about your sump pump failing, install the Sensaphone Compatible Water Detection Sensor.

Thanks for your question. Enjoy your travels and let the Sensaphone contact you or a neighbor or friend if something goes amiss at home.

Sincerely, Barbara

Questions about the Safe Escape Smoke Hoods, 30 minute and 60 minute versions.

Q: "My company has offices in a high rise office building. We checked expirations on our Evac-u8 smoke hoods, checked on line and realized these were recalled several years ago. We need to replace them. What do you suggest?" Thanks. Steve

Answer: I recommend that first decide on 30 minutes or 60 minutes escape time and then on a hard or a soft case. Your 30 minute choices are the 30 minute hard case Safe Escape Smoke Hood or the 30 minute soft case Safe Escape Smoke Hood.
Your 60 minute choices are the 60 minute hard case Safe Escape Smoke Hood or the 60 minute soft case Safe Escape Smoke Hood.

We, too, were surprised when all Evac-u8 smoke hoods made during a 6 year time frame were recalled by Brookdale International, a Dupont company. We learned recently that the reason was that the units, which resembled a sealed transparent soda pop can, were leaking air which was causing the filters not to function properly.

Once a privacy statement was signed by Brookdale, our customer list was given to them and they handled customer notification and recalls.

The units we are selling currently are made in China by Safe Escape. These are vacuum sealed in a plastic bag so don't remove them for examination or they will not function properly when you need them.

Please contact us with the number of fire hoods you need and we can quote price plus shipping costs. We typically stock several cases of each on site in Iowa.

Sincerely, Barbara