Smoke Detector Tips

Each year in the U.S., about 12,000 children under 15 are injured in residential fires. 90% of fire victims are children in homes without working smoke alarms.*

The statistics make it clear: smoke alarms save lives. Here are some tips from the Home Service Security Store to help you keep these life-savers going.

Replace batteries twice a year. To remember to do this, change the batteries at the same time as you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time. Make it a family affair so the kids will remember how important smoke detectors are.
Remember that some smoke detectors need to be replaced every 7-10 years.
Use only smoke detectors approved by an Underwriters Laboratory or another recognized testing lab.
If your smoke detector goes off because of a "false alarm" such as cooking, smoking, steam or dust, don't remove the battery. Fan the smoke away and open a window. You might forget to put the battery back in later and leave your house unprotected.
Install at least one smoke detector in the hall outside all bedrooms, or even inside the bedrooms.
Install smoke alarms on every level of the home.
Test smoke alarms at least once a month.

There are very few things you can do that are as simple, effective, and important as taking care of your smoke detectors. Take good care of your smoke detectors, and they'll take good care of you.