I am now wondering since there was no indication of fire or smoke, could this have been carbon monoxide? They only went off for a minute or two, but since they are all wired together I cannot determine the source of the alarm. In addition how do I check for carbon monoxide if I do not know where in my house to test?
I would guess that on sub-zero nights that the number of people sleeping there will be significantly reduced. The sister protests in warmer climates will probably do much better then, yeah. If you're in New York you really should go down and check them out, though what a well organized happy group of people. They do care a lot. Oh, and even though they have food, I brought cupcakes down and people loved them! They even have a library.
I'm an insurance professional in CA and I have never heard that the use of a hot water heater blanket will exclude coverage or diminish the claim amount. In fact, most insurance companies encourage properly strapping and protecting your hot water heater to prevent/reduce damage and/or injury to the homeowner. I don't know what state you are in, perhaps there was some off-the-wall lawsuit and a judicial decision was made that forced insurers use stricter underwriting guidelines regarding hot water heaters. I would call your agent/insurer and ask if there are any restrictions or guidelines regarding the use of a hot water heater blanket. Good luck!
Smoke alarms work by sending a light beam to a sensor all within the casing. When smoke gets into the system it blocks the light from reaching the sensor and causes an alarm. If there is dirt or lint within the detector, it will cause the beam to be broken and trip the alarm. If your alarm is over 5 years old, get a new one.
