I just burned by microwave popcorn, set of my smoke detector, and scared my dogs.?
. Here's the law in Maryland: If a home was constructed between July 1, 1975 and January 1, 1989, at least one electric powered Smoke Alarm, permanently wired, is required to be installed in the sleeping area at the time of construction. Homes or residential dwellings constructed between January 1, 1989 and July 1, 1990 are required by law to have Smoke Alarms installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and on each additional story of the home, including the basement but excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics. All Smoke Alarms in these multi-level residential properties must be electric powered and must be interconnected to alarm simultaneously. For residential properties constructed after July 1, 1990, State law requires that these properties be protected by Smoke Alarms that operate by both electricity and battery. . Chances are your alarms are NOT hardwired. But they ARE connected to each other, probably in series. That is probably the wires you see, especially if they're small wires. Maybe you can have the fire dept. check it out for free. But for a measly $40, I wouldn't give this 'problem' much of MY time.
I believe it is relatively safe for a hobbyist or occasional user to sand without all the precautions - it's not going to turn your neighborhood into Love Canal and it's not a listed substance like asbestos - it's much the same as fibreglass insulation used in millions of homes and attics. If you get it on your skin it will itch for a day under clothing but not cause any lasting effect. Using a power sander indoors would probably not go down well with your family, just from the mess and dust. Hughes MSDS says RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: None normally required. If airborne dust concentrations exceed permissible exposure levels, use protection for nuisance dust. VENTILATION Use local exhaust if necessary to prevent nuisance dust. EYE AND FACE PROTECTION Wear safety glasses with side shields. SKIN PROTECTION/PROTECTIVE GLOVES Wear protective gloves to reduce irritation from dust or slivers.
