Did you know most fatal fires occur at night? Every home should have working smoke detectors which help warn people of any imminent danger. Smoke detectors make sense in rooms where people sleep, as well as hallways that lead to sleeping areas. In general, each level of a home, including the basement, should have at least one working smoke detector– lives depend on these devices!
Typically, people check their smoke detectors twice a year– during the times when people change their clocks to adjust for daylight savings time. Most times, they just replace old batteries, but how does one know if a smoke detector needs total replacing rather than just new batteries?
Age of Your Smoke Detectors
First, consider the age of your detector(s). Some of them have “expiration dates” printed on them, which helps you know when they’re just too old, and need to be replaced. Even if they don’t have any dates printed on them, it’s a smart idea to replace detectors once they reach 10 years or older. If you have no idea how old yours are (because you just moved in, but there’s no paperwork with them), then start fresh– better safe, than sorry.
Random Beeps
Next, consider how your current detectors are working– do they go “off” for no good reason? Maybe they’re too dusty? Maybe they’re located in the wrong spot? Maybe loose connections are leading to false alarms? If a particular detector isn’t acting the way you think it should, replace it with a different/new one.
Quality
Finally, what kind of quality detectors do you have, or don’t have? Some people rely on really cheap detectors they get for less than $10 at discount stores, while others pay several hundred dollars, investing in top-of-the-line devices. Like with anything, you ultimately “get what you pay for.” It might behoove you to spend a little more on higher quality smoke detectors because, in the end, it could mean the difference between life and death.
Need help figuring out your smoke detector situation? Call Life Safety Consultants today at 1-888-557-0558. We can help you answer the very important question, “Is it time to replace my smoke detector(s)?”
