When to Test and Replace Your Smoke Detector and Batteries
By Timothy Tibbetts |
Smoke detectors are an essential safety feature of your home, but it's easy to forget about them until it's too late. Here are some often overlooked tips to make sure your smoke detector is working correctly.
There two things to consider - your smoke detector and the batteries.
1: Check Your Smoke Detector Batteries
Pick a date you can remember whether it's your birthday, an anniversary, or the first of the year. Press the battery test on every smoke detector to confirm the battery is working.
I recently replaced all of my smoke detector batteries with Lithium-ION batteries. You can find them at Amazon, Home Depot, or Lowes, to name a few. They cost twice as much but have twice the shelf life and a much longer run time compared to alkaline batteries.
Lithium-Ion batteries are a smart investment if you trip your smoke detector regularly or if your hard-wired and have frequent power outages.
Luckily, many modern or wired smoke detectors will now beep when the battery is running low, which brings us to my next point.
2: Check Your Smoke Detector
Check for a date on your smoke detector. You can find a sticker on the side, or in the battery compartment. If you can't find a label, use common sense, and guess how long it's been there. A yellow colored smoke detector typically indicates that it's old.
Smoke detectors should be considered an "appliance," which means if it's 10-years old, it's out of date, and replacing it could be cheaper in the long run. Newer appliances are more efficient and often have new or improved features.
Many companies now sell sealed battery (non-replaceable) smoke detectors. The genius here is that the batteries have an expected 10-year life, which means when the battery goes, the smoke detector goes. I have these in my home with battery-operated only detectors. Because I only have two detectors, it will cost me roughly $40 every 7-10 years, and I always have a working, current smoke detector.
There are many established brands, including First Alert and Kiddie. Look for the sealed battery in the description. Again, you can shop Amazon, Home Depot, or Lowes. Replacing a smoke detector is simple for any skill level unless you have 20-foot ceilings and are afraid of heights.
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There two things to consider - your smoke detector and the batteries.
1: Check Your Smoke Detector Batteries
Pick a date you can remember whether it's your birthday, an anniversary, or the first of the year. Press the battery test on every smoke detector to confirm the battery is working.
I recently replaced all of my smoke detector batteries with Lithium-ION batteries. You can find them at Amazon, Home Depot, or Lowes, to name a few. They cost twice as much but have twice the shelf life and a much longer run time compared to alkaline batteries.
Lithium-Ion batteries are a smart investment if you trip your smoke detector regularly or if your hard-wired and have frequent power outages.
Luckily, many modern or wired smoke detectors will now beep when the battery is running low, which brings us to my next point.
2: Check Your Smoke Detector
Check for a date on your smoke detector. You can find a sticker on the side, or in the battery compartment. If you can't find a label, use common sense, and guess how long it's been there. A yellow colored smoke detector typically indicates that it's old.
Smoke detectors should be considered an "appliance," which means if it's 10-years old, it's out of date, and replacing it could be cheaper in the long run. Newer appliances are more efficient and often have new or improved features.
Many companies now sell sealed battery (non-replaceable) smoke detectors. The genius here is that the batteries have an expected 10-year life, which means when the battery goes, the smoke detector goes. I have these in my home with battery-operated only detectors. Because I only have two detectors, it will cost me roughly $40 every 7-10 years, and I always have a working, current smoke detector.
There are many established brands, including First Alert and Kiddie. Look for the sealed battery in the description. Again, you can shop Amazon, Home Depot, or Lowes. Replacing a smoke detector is simple for any skill level unless you have 20-foot ceilings and are afraid of heights.
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