Smoke Alarms - What You Need to Know

In the United States, 96% of all homes have at least one smoke alarm installed.

One half of all deaths from residential fires occur in the homes with no smoke alarms!

Homes with smoke alarms typically have a death rate of 40-50% less than the rate for homes without smoke alarms.

In 25% of all reported fires in a home equipped with smoke alarms, the devices did not work.

Households with non-working smoke alarms now outnumber homes with no smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms most often fail because of missing, dead, or disconnected batteries.

Install, Test, and Battery Replacement of Smoke Alarms

For your safety and to ensure effective operation of your smoke alarm, please do the following:

• Install a smoke alarm in every room used for sleeping.
• Install at least one smoke alarm on every floor of your home and in the hallway for each bedroom.
• Location of the smoke alarms should be on the ceiling because smoke rises.
• Smoke alarms should not be mounted near windows or heating/cooling vents that can interfere with its operation.
• Never paint, add decorative stickers or attach anything to a smoke alarm.
• Test your smoke alarm monthly to make sure that it is working properly.
• Regularly vacuum or dust your smoke alarm.
• Replace all smoke alarm batteries when you change your clock for daylight savings (twice a year).
• Replace the battery in any smoke alarm that "chirps" immediately.
• Make certain you replace all smoke alarm batteries when moving into a new home.
• Keep batteries in the smoke alarms; do not borrow the battery for other needs.
• Replace all smoke alarms every ten years. If you can't remember how old the smoke alarm is, then it's probably time for a new one.
• Consider installing smoke alarms with "long-life" (10-year) batteries.