It’s time for spring! Springing forward the time on your clock, that is. It’s the time we all dread because it means we lose an hour of sleep. And for some, it means waking up and getting off to work or school in the dark for a few weeks. But the perk is, of course, that it will still be daylight a little bit longer when we get back home!
The most important part of this biannual clock reset routine is changing out the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
According to FireSafety.gov, two-thirds of deaths in home fires happen where there is either no smoke alarm or a smoke alarm that is not working. The biggest reason for a non-working alarm is a bad or missing battery.
Having properly installed smoke alarms, with good batteries installed in them, is the most effective and least expensive way of protecting yourself and your family from a fire.
If by chance your home doesn’t have any smoke detectors, not enough, or you think yours may be getting a bit too old, you can pick up a new one from just about any hardware or mass-retail store. Fancy or inexpensive, they all must meet certain guidelines so you will know you are protected.
The frugal-minded among us may think that the batteries are still good, so why change them…but this can be a deadly decision. If you really want to get the last of the power from the batteries, find some other household use for them; perhaps an alarm clock back-up or a child’s toy.
Be sure to check your smoke detector once the new battery is in to make sure it’s working correctly, and then keep checking it on a regular basis.
Learn more about fire safety, including the proper locations of smoke detectors, creating an evacuation plan and practices to prevent fires, visit FireSafety.gov.
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