I recently bought a house and discovered that the old smoke detector isn't functioning properly. After attempting to replace the battery with no luck, I got a new battery-operated smoke detector that doesn't attach to the wall. However, I'm left with an ugly cradle and wiring from the old detector that sticks out a few inches from the wall, which really bothers me. Since I'm not an electrician, I can't just remove the wiring. I'm looking for suggestions on how to cover the wires or cradle effectively. A piece of cloth seems like a temporary fix, but would that even look better? Also, is there any safety concern regarding the exposed wires?
3 Answers
You could try installing a cover for the wiring. There are various blank electrical box covers that could fit over it nicely. Just ensure it doesn't stick out too much or it won’t look good. It sounds like a simple task that anyone can do, but if you're ever in doubt, calling an electrician could save you some headaches.
Old hardwired smoke detectors are still available! If you're feeling adventurous, you can remove the current cradle, cap the wires, and install a new hardwired smoke detector where the old one was. This way, everything is up to code and you won't have any exposed wiring. But make sure you read the fire code for your area first, just to be safe.
That could be a better long-term solution for sure! Just check with local guidelines. You want to stay on the safe side!
Sounds like you had a hard-wired smoke detector before, and now you're working with a battery-operated one. If the old wiring is live, it's probably best to have an electrician disconnect it and properly cap the wires. But if it’s dead, you could just cover it with a blank cover plate after installing an old-work junction box. You'll want to make sure everything is safe though, so consider having a pro take a look if you're unsure.
I can see how that might be tricky! Just be sure to check if the wires are live before doing anything. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
That sounds like a good option! Just make sure to measure the space carefully. You want it to be a snug fit!