When was the last time you tested your Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Detectors?
Well, here is what the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends.
Test smoke alarms and CO detector alarms every month.
Refer to your unit's instructions to find out how to test your model; it's usually as easy as pressing a button, and takes less than a moment.
Do you wait for it to start beeping before changing the battery?
When that battery is running low, your detector alerts you with a chirp every 60 seconds.
Smoke alarm batteries should be changed at least every year but it is recommended to do it every 6 months..
Hard-wired smoke detectors usually have backup batteries in case of power outages, test and change as described above. They will chirp when the batteries are low also.
Carbon Monoxide detectors also need the batteries changed. If CO detectors run on electricity, make sure the wires are in working order and not loose.
When was the last time you cleaned them?
Smoke and CO detectors sit on your ceiling or walls and accumulate dust. It gathers in the sensing chamber, which can cause your detector to chirp.
Dust can also cause false alarms. If your system goes off at random times, it can indicate a dust buildup inside the system.
How old are yours?
Over time, detectors break down and malfunction. If you haven’t replaced them in a few years, now may be the time.
Smoke alarms usually last about ten years. You can check the manufacturer’s date on the smoke detector to see how old it is.Ten years from the manufacture date, not how long it has been up.
Carbon monoxide detectors need to be replaced every five years to ensure they remain efficient.
I was checking my detectors and found one that would not respond when I pushed the button, it was a different shape and had 3 C batteries. I was perplexed, was it a smoke or CO detector, it did not have a label indicating which. I googled the model number and found that it was my door bell chime!! So I changed the batteries anyway. 🤪
I am going to the hardware store to pick up some new batteries and smoke detectors.
I was trying to buy smoke detectors on Amazon and I got this message:
This item cannot be shipped to your selected delivery location. Please choose a different delivery location.
The CO detector was sent with no problem.
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Happy home care, It’s worth it to be safe.
