Smoke Alarm Tips

Smoke alarms are the single most effective early warning device available. Make sure that the smoke alarms in your home are working properly and are not disconnected from a battery or power source. Remember that young people and elderly often sleep through smoke alarms. Have a plan in place to ensure everyone responds to the alarm by exiting the structure.

 Smoke Alarm Installation

• One smoke alarm needs to be located on each level of your home including the basement.
• One smoke alarm needs to be located outside sleeping areas, at minimum. Preferably one in each sleeping room.
• It is recommended that smoke alarms be interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound. This increases warning times for persons in another area of the residence.
• Smoke alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings.
• Never paint a smoke alarm.

Checking Your Smoke Alarm

• Test your smoke alarm once a month.
• Batteries should be replaced in the smoke alarm twice per year. A good way to remember this is to change your batteries when you change your clocks for daylight savings time.
• Never “borrow” a battery from a smoke alarm or place a battery in a smoke alarm you “borrowed” from somewhere else.
• Never disable a smoke alarm if it is “chirping” and there is no evidence of fire, replace the batteries.
• Vacuum and or dust your smoke alarm regularly.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.