12 Sep, 2018 → by ClaimboUser212577
Resolved: A True Disappointment
1
Update by user Sep 12, 2018 The company representative said that a replacement was being sent and would arrive within two weeks, most likely. If this actually happens, the immediate situation is resolved; if not, then it isn't. The larger issue of this persistently defective model is not resolved. Original review posted by user Sep 12, 2018 After having had three First Alert smoke alarms strategically placed in my house for three decades---replacing them as required periodically with new First Alert units after they had given long and reliable service---imagine how disappointing it has been to find one of the latest three failing after only 10 months. This is the P1210 model with a battery that is inaccessible and which, therefore, cannot be replaced. The battery and unit are supposed to last for more or less 10 years, according to the "User's Manual," and seven years (clever, eh?) according to the limited warranty. As reported in other reviews here, this suddenly began signaling the presence of smoke for absolutely no reason and doing so at miscellaneous and unpredictable times around the clock. Sometimes depressing the button would stop it, other times it would do no good to push the button, still other times it would start up again, button pushed or not, and so on with completely random behavior. I called First Alert's Customer Affairs Division number listed in the warranty information and, after an 11-minute wait (the initial message told me it would be "three to five minutes"), a person came on the line who sounded as if she were half asleep, completely uninterested in anything having to do with my issue, or both. This woman collected the expected information and then asked for the date of manufacture from the back of the unit. I told her that the warranty procedure set forth in the warranty information said to have the model number and date of purchase available but nothing else, and that the alarm was in place on the ceiling and had not been removed and would not be unless I became enough sick and tired of its antics to take it down and run a car over it. She said nothing further about the manufacturing date but asked only for the model number (which I had stated previously when she had asked for it in the first place) and purchase date, which I supplied from the fortunately retained Lowe's receipt. She then asked me to wait "briefly" (how briefly, I asked: "Two minutes," which turned out to be correct) "while I set this up." Two minutes later, she was back, assuring me that it had "been set up." I asked what had been set up---she never had specified what she was going to do---to which she said the shipping of a replacement unit. She said that as a courtesy, a one-time waiver of the $6.99 shipping charge would be applied. I thanked her and then said that if there were any further failures that caused me to call again and someone told me that there would be a shipping charge, I would get rid of all three smoke alarms immediately and purchase replacements of another brand, being certain to report my experience with their company and its product in every possible venue without ceasing.