October is a great time of year to remind ourselves about home fire safety and tips to stay safe. Nationally, October 6-12 is Fire Prevention Week, and this year the focus is on the importance of having and maintaining smoke alarms so that they will work when needed.
Home smoke alarms provide critical notice at the early signs of a fire. Did you know that you may have less than two minutes to escape your home once the smoke alarm sounds? While most homes have smoke alarms, they were not present in one-quarter of reported home fires between 2014 and 2018 (NFPA 2021).
To ensure your smoke alarm will work if needed, test them monthly by pushing the test button. If available, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning or vacuum gently around the smoke alarms to remove dust and cobwebs. Smoke alarms with non-replaceable batteries should be replaced after 10 years or if the smoke alarm chirps, warning that the battery is low.
For smoke alarms with standard 9V batteries, replace batteries at least once a year or if the alarm chirps. Replace smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or if they don’t respond when tested.
As a reminder, landlords are responsible for providing working smoke alarms before moving in and renters are responsible for maintaining smoke alarms.
Watch a short video on smoke alarms on our smoke alarm video playlist.
