Smoke Detectors - Have you
tested yours lately?
An easy and inexpensive way to alert your family to a fire.
No time to check your smoke detectors? No time to
replace the batteries? It takes less than 5 minutes. Buy and
install new batteries, push the smoke detector’s test button – that’s it!
Put it on the calendar – replace the batteries and test the alarm twice a
year. What’s in it for you? Think big picture – what’s in it for your
friends and family? YOU!
Did you know....
- Fires that occur at night while the victims are
asleep generate the majority of fire deaths and injuries.
- Households with non-working
smoke detectors now outnumber those with no smoke detectors. Do your
smoke detectors work? Are you sure? When was the last time you tested
them?
- Smoke detectors,
when properly installed, give an early audible warning needed to safely
escape from fire. 85% of all fire deaths occur in the home, and the
majority occur at night when most people are sleeping.
-
Smoke
created by fire contains a deadly gas (carbon monoxide). You can't see
it, taste it or smell it. As you breathe, while sleeping, the carbon
monoxide puts you into a deeper sleep. Unless the smoke irritates your
nostrils as you breathe, you may continue to sleep until you become a
victim. A smoke detector, when properly installed, will give you an early
audible warning – you’ll wake up and safely escape from the fire.
-
If one of your smoke
detectors is over ten years old, consider replacing it. Failure rates of
smoke detectors increase after ten years of use. Newer smoke alarms do
better, but should be replaced after ten years.
I have a smoke detector. I'm all set, right?
Do you maintain them on a
regular schedule?
Are they
installed correctly and in the correct locations?
Are
all of your smoke detectors less than 10 years old?
You should be able to answer yes to these questions.
Do smoke detectors need maintenance?
Remember 1 - 1 - 6 - 10.
1 - Once a week test the alarm by pressing the
test button.
1 - Once a year replace the battery, or when
the low battery alarm chirps, if it is less than one year.
6 - Every six months vacuum the inside of the
alarm to remove dust from the sensor.
10 - After ten years replace the smoke
detector.
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Installation
of Smoke Detectors: How many and where?
Smoke detectors should be placed on
each level of the home (including the basement) and outside each
sleeping area.
In new homes, smoke alarms are required in all
sleeping rooms, according to the National Fire Alarm Code.
Detectors
should be mounted on the wall 4-12 inches from the ceiling; ceiling-mounted
detectors should be positioned 4 inches away from the nearest wall. For
vaulted ceilings, mount the alarm at the highest point of the ceiling.
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