Now that Labor Day is over, the kids are back in school and everyone is prepping for fall but did the chaos of summer coming to an end make you forget to replace your smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries? As most people know, you should check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detector twice a year, and the easiest way to remember that is to do it each Memorial and Labor Day. But maybe you’re a new homeowner or like me, someone who lets some things go undone a little too long sometimes, now is a great time to change batteries or familiarize yourself with the devices in your home. If you don’t have the time to change batteries right now, as you’re reading this, then make yourself a calendar reminder for a reasonable time in the next few days when you will have time to do so. Go ahead, I’ll wait….

If your device does not have a battery that you can change, then you may have a device that has a built-in battery. If that is the case, you will need to check to see how long that battery lasts or when the device needs to be replaced, as built-in batteries are only good for a specific amount of time before they will start beeping because the battery is dead. Once that happens, it could be too late and your detector may not be working properly.

It is extremely important to make sure your devices are working properly and have good batteries in them and it shouldn’t be something that goes undone. So, if you are like me and put things off until the last minute, you can always call a professional to schedule an appointment to have us check everything and replace the batteries for you.

Here are a few little tips and info for you on smoke detectors.

• Know what the beeps mean – Although some newer detectors use spoken warnings, older detectors use beeping to notify that something is wrong. A single beep in a single detector means the battery is low or dead. A single beep from all of your hardwired detectors means there is no power. Continual beeping means something has been detected such as smoke or carbon monoxide.

• Know where smoke detectors should be installed – One smoke detector should be installed in each bedroom and outside of each sleeping area. One should be installed on each level, including the basement. On levels without bedrooms, there should be one in the living room or den or family room, or next to stairs leading to the next level. They should be at least 10 feet from any cooking appliance. If you have vaulted ceilings there should be one within 3 feet of the peak of the ceiling. They should not be installed within 3 feet of any air conditioner vent or exhaust fan and they are not necessary in kitchens, baths or garages. *

(*source www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Smoke-alarms/Installing-and-maintaining-smoke-alarms)

Many brands and types of detectors are out there, from battery powered to hardwired with battery backup, individual detectors to combo detectors, and many more. Give us a call if you need help determining which is right for you!