Did you know that October 6-12 is National Fire Prevention Week? Even after the occasion has passed, we still want our Delaware fire alarm systems customers to continue practicing good fire prevention. One of the best ways to do this is by making sure your smoke alarm works at all times. Here are some ways you can stay on top of it:
Replace the alarm, if necessary. Is your smoke alarm more than10 years old? If so, it needs to be replaced. By our calculations, a smoke alarm that has been working for more than a decade has been on the job for over 87,000 hours. Just as you would upgrade your security system after that many years, you should do the same for your smoke alarm.
Install in every possible location. By law, smoke detectors are required in new homes inside every bedroom, outside bedrooms, and on every living floor. That is the bare minimum.
Test your smoke alarm regularly. Smoke alarms have test buttons that allow you to make sure they’re working. Push the test button once a month, either with your finger – or, if no stepstool is available, by gently using a broom handle.
Change your batteries often. Don’t worry; you don’t have to do it that often. Most experts agree that smoke alarm batteries should be changed twice per year, so mark your calendar to change yours every January and June. If it has been more than six months since you changed yours, though, you should do it now.
Keep your batteries in. Speaking of smoke alarm batteries, please do not remove them when you are cooking. If your alarm tends to sound every time you bake a batch of cookies, look to the culprit of the smoke first; that is your real problem. Some people find that using too much oil causes more smoke. Others find that using wax paper creates a problem. Find the source of the smoke, and remove it. Your smoke alarm is not the problem!
If you have questions on smoke alarms or the Delaware fire alarm systems we sell, feel free to contact B Safe Security today. We will be glad to meet with you for a free fire security analysis.