What is a smoke detector and why do we need them?
A smoke detector is a device that senses and gives a warning if smoke is present.
If you have at least one fuel-burning appliance/heater, attached garage or fireplace it is recommended that you also have a carbon monoxide detector as well as a smoke detector.
There is an average of one home fire every 88 seconds in the united states, resulting in about 2500 deaths per year.
Smoke detectors are critical for the early detection of a fire in your home.
You rely on your smoke detector to protect your home and your family in the event of fire.
Some smoke detectors operate on household electrical current with backup batteries, while others are powered solely on either 9-volt or AA batteries
Smoke detector manufacturers suggest testing the devices once a week to ensure they are operational.
Press and hold the test button on your smoke detector until the alarm sounds. This indicates a good battery. If the alarms doesn’t sound, replace the battery and check again.
When your smoke detector fails to sound a test alarm, removing and testing the battery will make sure only the battery failed and not the detector. Whether your detector uses a 9-volt, 9-volt lithium or AA batteries, you can test them all.
With regards to home safety, it’s not enough to replace only the battery in your smoke detector. Smoke detectors are never “off” — they are monitoring the air for smoke around the clock, year in, year out. Smoke detectors have a shelf life and should be replaced every 8 to 10 years,
In the event that you don’t have any idea about the age of yours, bring them down and look on the back of the case. The manufacturer may have printed the date of production on them. You may likewise discover a name inside the battery compartment.
On the off chance that you don’t discover a date, take a gander at the shade of the plastic case on your smoke detectors . In the event that they are yellow, odds are they are ready to replaced. Numerous plastic cases are made of polypropylene, styrene and ABS. Those plastics tend to yellow over time. Frequently this yellowing is attributed to smoking, which may be the case, however even non-smokers see a similar yellowing over time. If yours have a grease or dirt buildup, that could account for some discoloration. However, if you try to clean them and they are still yellow, that implies they are old. This is and obvious feature the manufactures have designed into the detectors to help motivate people to replace them at an appropriate age.