Have you tested your smoke alarms recently? Do you know where they are, how old they are, and if they are functioning?
Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are important safety features in your home. Current standards recommend that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms be tested monthly and batteries be replaced every 6 months. Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced every 7 years. Combination smoke and CO alarm devices are widely available.
Here’s a suggestion to help you remember: set a reminder using a phone or calendar app that will notify you when it’s time to test the alarms or change the batteries. You can also use a low-tech solution, such as writing a note on a piece of tape that you place in a closet. What will work for you?
Current standards recommend smoke alarms be located in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the sleeping rooms, and on every level of the home. Carbon monoxide alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. If the home has an attached garage, a CO alarm should be installed inside the home, near the door to the garage. For best protection, interconnect all smoke and CO alarms throughout the house – when one sounds, they all sound.
See images below for more details. Additional information may be available from your local fire department, and at nfpa.org/Public-Education. Protect yourselves and your families by making sure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are properly installed and functional.
