Smoke Detectors

Tragedies can be prevented simply by testing your smoke detector once a month and by annually replacing smoke detector batteries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends these measures because owner neglect of testing and battery replacement has been a major cause of smoke detector failure in fires.

Every year in the United States, approximately 5,000 people are killed by residential fires. Most fire victims die from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, not as a result of burns. Most deaths and injuries occur in fires that happen at night while the victims are asleep.

Properly installed and maintained, the home smoke detector is considered one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning when a fire begins, before the concentration of smoke reaches a dangerous level or before the fire becomes too intense. There is no doubt about it - smoke detectors save lives, prevent injuries, and minimize property damage by enabling residents to detect fires early in their development. The risk of dying from fires in homes without smoke detectors is twice as high as in homes that have functioning detectors.

Both wired-in and battery-powered smoke detectors should be tested at least once a month or in accordance with the detector manufacturer's recommendation (if more frequent) to make sure they are operating properly. If the smoke detector is battery operated, test it and replace the batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fresh batteries should last approximately one year.

Follow manufacturer's directions for testing your detector.

If your battery-powered detector begins to emit its low-power warning, such as a chirping sound, replace the battery immediately with a fresh one. Better yet, consider making routine replacement of batteries a seasonal task, such as when resetting clocks in the fall or spring, or in conjunction with a major event, such as New Year's Day or a birthday. This practice will ensure that your smoke detectors will continue to provide protection for you without your having to purchase a battery when a smoke detector begins to produce its periodic "low battery warning" chirping.

If "nuisance" alarms occur during cooking, or from a smoking fireplace, etc., do not disable your smoke detector. Either fan away the smoke, relocate the detector, or purchase one with a delay switch.

At least one smoke detector should be properly placed on every floor of the home. The most important location is near the bedrooms to provide early warning to all sleeping occupants. A smoke detector should be placed in any bedroom occupied by a smoker.

Make sure detectors are places either on the ceiling or 6-12 inches below the ceiling on the wall. Locate smoke detectors away from air vents or registers; high air flow or "dead" spots are to be avoided.

CPSC also urges consumers to develop and rehearse an escape plan, so that when the smoke detector sounds, family members will react appropriately.

Don't wait for a fire in your home to test your smoke detector ... Do it now: test it, replace its batteries, and sleep with peace of mind.