Keeping Your Home’s Smoke Detectors Operational

6/29/2020 (Permalink)

It is important to keep up with your homes smoke alarm.

Smoke alarms are an extremely important component of fire safety. Fires in homes with smoke alarms are less likely to be fatal, as having an early alert to danger can help everyone escape the home safely and effectively.

In addition to installing your smoke alarms on every floor of the home, in every bedroom and in areas that are highly susceptible to fires, it is important that you perform regular maintenance on them to make sure they remain effective
and are replaced when they reach the end of their working life.

Important Components of Smoke Alarm
Maintenance

Check smoke alarms every 30 days. According to the United States Fire Administration, it is recommended to test your smoke alarms at least once a month to make sure they are operational. Alarms should be equipped with a test button you can press and hold to make sure the alarm sounds—never use an open flame or smoke to test your alarm system.

Know when the manufacturer recommends battery replacements. It used to be that smoke alarms were designed to have the batteries replaced annually, but many alarms are now made with special long-life batteries
that do not require replacement for the lifetime of the unit. Be sure you know which type you have and set a reminder to replace your batteries regularly if your manufacturer
recommends it.

Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. Regardless of the model, smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years at a minimum. Smoke alarms that are older than 10 years old have a 30% failure rate, so do not let yours age
past their effective lifespan. It is important to note that some smoke alarm models are designed for three- and five-year use, so knowing the details of yours when you install it is important.

Vacuum your alarm yearly. Dust can collect in the vents of smoke alarms and make them less sensitive to smoke and high heat. Be sure to use your vacuum attachment to pull any dust out of the vents so they are at their peak effectiveness just in case.

If you have experienced fire damage to your home, we are here to help you. You can get in touch any time to get a quick response from our restoration experts. Call us at 732-752-4445.