Did you change your batteries today?

[RobertN]

While you were changing your clocks last night and today, did you change the batteries in your smoke detectors, and test each one?

During the time I worked as a volunteer Fire Fighter locally, our district recomended changing the smoke detector batteries in the Fall and Spring at the same time clocks were reset for the time changes.It is also recomended to test each smoke detector(most have a test button on them). The local Fire District still recomends this.

 

[GaryM]

Yep, changed the batterys in all ten detectors. And tested them too. Also changed the oil and filter in the standby generator since the weather was so nice.

I'm a good boy. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[deere755]

This is good advice. I can't tell you the number of house fires I have been on in the last 20 years where smoke detectors saved a life. I also can't tellyou how many people never check their detectors and when they have a fire the batteries are dead.

 

[EddieWalker]

I change mine on New Years Day. I never heard of doing it twice a year. The batteries are good for two years, so I do it every year to be on the safe side.

Eddie

 

[Highbeam]

So tell me this... My smoke detectors are hard wired as are nearly every newer home I've ever seen. When the backup battery gets low the detector emits a chirp every minute or so, very annoying, but at least I know when they are dead and then I replace that battery. I have never changed a SD battery just because it seemed due.

Are the typical smoke detectors still battery powered? and is this why you folks change them on a schedule?

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Are the typical smoke detectors still battery powered? and is this why you folks change them on a schedule? )</font>


Yes a large % of smoke detectors are battery powered, remember in most of the large US cities most housing stock is old and have been retrofitted with a battery operated smoke detector, thus they need to be changed.

I to as a former firefighter can not tell you home many lives were saved by smoke detectors. IN NJ it is state law that all homes also have a CO detector as well as a smoke detector. It is enforced on the sale of the home just as the smoke detector is.

 

[RobertN]

The key is that you regularily check and test them. A lot of folks don't. The time change is when most folks have to go around the house changing clocks, so as they go room to room it is easy to check the smoke detectors at the same time.

 

[RobertN]

My two houses(we have a granny flat on the property) have one hard wired detector, while the rest are battery powered. When we bought the houses 11 years ago(they were about 8 years old), additional smoke detectors had to be added before the sale could finalize(apparently a state requirement).

When we first moved in, our detectors had some cheap batteries. They didn't last long. They did chirp before the battery went dead though. Good batteries last longer, but it is still good to change them more often.

While I was volunteering at St-28, we would go out on public service calls to replace batteries now and then; someone who could not get on a ladder or whatever would call now and then.

 

[Bird]

Robert, I'm glad you mentioned that. We just moved into this 14 year old house last month and I'd forgotten to check the smoke alarms. There are two Lifesavers model 1225, so I checked them today; both work, but are hardwired with no batteries.

 

[BigEddy]

How many of you have changed your smoke detectors out? I understand they have a finite life and should be replaced after x years. I know most of mine have been in place for 15 years or more.