Changing Your Smoke Detector Batteries

7-Nov-2013 Gordon Atlantic Staff home insurance

Changing Your Smoke Detector Batteries

The end of Daylight Savings Time has come once again, and last weekend we all set our clocks back an hour. Although we get an extra hour of light in the morning, darkness will now be falling much earlier in the afternoon, and it can be difficult to adjust at first to the change.

Along with being a signal of the winter weather to come, changing the clocks this time of year should also be a reminder to all to change the batteries of smoke detectors throughout your home or workplace.

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Here are some tips for checking your smoke detector.

After replacing the battery, use the ‘test’ button to make sure the alarm is audible. If the alarm doesn’t work, even with a fresh battery, the entire unit may need to be replaced.
Some smoke detectors may beep to signal that the battery needs to be replaced. However, if all smoke detectors in your home are beeping at the same time, a power outage or tripped circuit breaker may be to blame. Try to find the source of the problem before replacing the batteries.
It is also a good idea to clean your smoke detectors with compressed air every now and then, and doing this at the same time as you replace the battery could extend the life of your detector.

However, there is no reason to wait for problems with your smoke detector to change the battery. Smoke detectors have been proven time and time again to save lives in the event of a fire and for the cost (an average 9 Volt battery costs less than $3) it is very much worth it to change it BEFORE it starts beeping or just plain stops working.

Remember to change your smoke detector batteries as soon as you can, and next fall, start a tradition of changing your clocks and your batteries at the same time. It could save your life!