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Replacing old Heat Sensor Alarms (old smoke detectors?)
Posted on 2/18/26 at 2:43 pm
Posted on 2/18/26 at 2:43 pm
My in laws have a home with 3 or 4 of these from I believe the mid to late 90s. A google search shows they are just a heat sensor, so basically a smoke detector but it goes off heat if I understand?
But I believe that many or most modern day smoke detectors also go off of heat? I know I've set them off from a hot stove without smoke multiple times.
Is it normal to just replace them with a normal smoke detector? FWIW she has some regular smoke detectors also that are new/ er.
I wanted to know the best practice and they swear they are different than "smoke detectors" but it seems that's outdated?
But I believe that many or most modern day smoke detectors also go off of heat? I know I've set them off from a hot stove without smoke multiple times.
Is it normal to just replace them with a normal smoke detector? FWIW she has some regular smoke detectors also that are new/ er.
I wanted to know the best practice and they swear they are different than "smoke detectors" but it seems that's outdated?
3
Posted on 2/18/26 at 6:45 pm to baldona
Would be helpful to supply a brand and model number of the ones you want to replace, if you can.
Posted on 2/18/26 at 9:14 pm to VABCHTIGER
quote:
Would be helpful to supply a brand and model number of the ones you want to replace, if you can.
Just out of curiousity, why? I’m not necessarily trying to replace them with specific like models, I’m trying to determine what their point was and if there’s a more modern solution? Homes now just have regular fire/ smoke detectors? Can I just replace them with those? Or were they some sort of different system? More advanced or something?
Posted on 2/18/26 at 11:35 pm to baldona
Knowing the brand and model number would help "to determine what their point was". Other things to help determine that would be:
Are they stand alone detectors? A stand alone detector is just that - it is powered only by a battery with no external power supply. A stand alone heat detector would normally only need power for sounding purposes, whereas a stand alone smoke detector would use the power for the detection circuitry and also for sounding purposes.
Are they part of a security system? A smoke detector would likely be powered by 12 volts DC and also have control circuit wiring (but some smoke detectors combine the power and control circuitry), and a heat detector would not normally have power to it, but would still use control circuit wiring.
Are they installed per current code, meaning they have to be interconnected? If that is the case, a smoke detector will then be powered by 120 volts AC and also have control circuit wiring.
Where were they mounted? They could be only heat detectors, but that would be unusual unless they were mounted in dusty areas like attics or in a garage where an idling vehicle could cause a false alarm.
And if they are old, there is little likelihood of being able to replace them with like models, even if you wanted to.
You wrote, "Or were they some sort of different system? More advanced or something?" I asked about the brand and model number to try to determine that.
I'm writing this as a former owner of a security system company, and I've installed my fair share of both smoke and heat detectors.
Are they stand alone detectors? A stand alone detector is just that - it is powered only by a battery with no external power supply. A stand alone heat detector would normally only need power for sounding purposes, whereas a stand alone smoke detector would use the power for the detection circuitry and also for sounding purposes.
Are they part of a security system? A smoke detector would likely be powered by 12 volts DC and also have control circuit wiring (but some smoke detectors combine the power and control circuitry), and a heat detector would not normally have power to it, but would still use control circuit wiring.
Are they installed per current code, meaning they have to be interconnected? If that is the case, a smoke detector will then be powered by 120 volts AC and also have control circuit wiring.
Where were they mounted? They could be only heat detectors, but that would be unusual unless they were mounted in dusty areas like attics or in a garage where an idling vehicle could cause a false alarm.
And if they are old, there is little likelihood of being able to replace them with like models, even if you wanted to.
You wrote, "Or were they some sort of different system? More advanced or something?" I asked about the brand and model number to try to determine that.
I'm writing this as a former owner of a security system company, and I've installed my fair share of both smoke and heat detectors.
This post was edited on 2/19/26 at 1:12 pm
Posted on 2/19/26 at 12:23 am to baldona
And by the way, there are two types of smoke detectors - Photoelectric and ionization. These days, you find more of the photoelectric type since they are not as sensitive in certain situations and therefore cause less false alarms. The photoelectric type have a chamber that smoke particles have to enter to cause an alarm condition.
The ionization type do not need very much smoke at all, if any because of the circuitry that they use to determine an alarm condition. It is possible for them to indicate an alarm from the almost invisible particles given off by a red hot stove element.
The ionization type do not need very much smoke at all, if any because of the circuitry that they use to determine an alarm condition. It is possible for them to indicate an alarm from the almost invisible particles given off by a red hot stove element.
Posted on 2/19/26 at 7:58 am to baldona
Is this a house or condo? Those look like common/HOA smoke alarms often used in multi family buildings. Each unit has their own individual alarms, but the building as a whole usually has a building-wide alarm system as well.
Posted on 2/19/26 at 2:23 pm to VABCHTIGER
quote:
Are they part of a security system? A smoke detector would likely be powered by 12 volts DC and also have control circuit wiring (but some smoke detectors combine the power and control circuitry), and a heat detector would not normally have power to it, but would still use control circuit wiring.
There's no current security system. Though that's possible.
My main question, is these aren't used anymore really right? I see them online available but I've never seen them in a modern home?
Is there any reason to consider keeping them or just replace with a modern day smoke detector?
Posted on 2/19/26 at 3:27 pm to baldona
As I wrote, a heat detector is normally used in place of a smoke detector in places that are more conductive to false alarms - dusty attics, basements workshops, etc. or a garage where vehicle emissions might cause a false alarm (but a heat detector normally would not be placed directly over where a vehicle would park after entering the garage).
Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean that it doesn't exist or isn't there. And I'm not going to tell you what to do, since I'm not familiar with the home - all I can do is to give you information.
Also, since you haven't provided any brand/model information, I'm not convinced that those units are only heat detectors.
Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean that it doesn't exist or isn't there. And I'm not going to tell you what to do, since I'm not familiar with the home - all I can do is to give you information.
Also, since you haven't provided any brand/model information, I'm not convinced that those units are only heat detectors.
Posted on 2/20/26 at 7:03 am to VABCHTIGER
My question was more related to that specific looking unit. It looks like modern residential heat alarms look the same as a modern smoke detector, so you likely wouldn’t know without close inspection what a modern one does.
As I said this is at my in laws and they aren’t home, I’ll get a model number and figure it out.
I just used google lense to figure out what it is. There is an old security system, so it could be that. They are not in the garages. There is one on all the floors and it seems like they are in place of where a smoke detector would be as there is not a hard wired smoke detector in that room.
ETA; as I said it’s a mid to late 90s home that was likely high end at the time. It has an old security system, an old home intercom system, etc. I’m trying to help them remove and update that equipment.
As I said this is at my in laws and they aren’t home, I’ll get a model number and figure it out.
I just used google lense to figure out what it is. There is an old security system, so it could be that. They are not in the garages. There is one on all the floors and it seems like they are in place of where a smoke detector would be as there is not a hard wired smoke detector in that room.
ETA; as I said it’s a mid to late 90s home that was likely high end at the time. It has an old security system, an old home intercom system, etc. I’m trying to help them remove and update that equipment.
This post was edited on 2/20/26 at 7:06 am
Posted on 2/20/26 at 10:09 am to baldona
We had that exact same one and the alarm system was going off for some reason just randomly. We have Custom Security monitored alarm system so they came out and sure enough it was that thing that was bad. They said we had to have it for the system so they changed it out and the new one is one that looks like a modern smoke alarm but I think it’s a special combo unit. They changed it and all was good.
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