House fires happen. That’s an unfortunate fact of life. Most people know that in order to keep their families and homes as safe as possible, they need to have a smoke detector in every bedroom, every major room, and in the hallways leading to rooms and bedrooms. This, of course, allows you to hear the alarm if a fire breaks out, even when you are sleeping. However, not everyone knows that fire alarms need occasional maintenance. Most household smoke detectors installed today use a battery backup in case of a power loss. These batteries need to be checked or replaced on a regular basis, twice a year according to most experts, so what better opportunity than daylight saving time to do those quick checks? Next time you change your household clocks, check your smoke detector batteries as well. If there is any doubt that the battery is fresh, throw it out and replace it with a new one. Another good idea is to switch from standard alkaline batteries to Lithium batteries. Lithium batteries can be more expensive, but they can also last up to ten years, saving money in the long run and keeping your home safer.
You may also use this time to determine whether your home is as safe as it could be. Sure, you may have the best smoke detectors installed in all the right places, but what happens if you have a Carbon Monoxide leak? Carbon Monoxide (CO) is known as the silent killer because it is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas which can go undetected by humans. While even the human body uses this natural substance to some extent, high levels of carbon monoxide starve the body of oxygen and can be just as dangerous as a fire. Many detectors today combine both smoke detection and carbon monoxide detection, but they can also be installed separately, depending on your specific needs.
Don’t let this year’s “spring forward” be such a drag. Use the time change to your family’s advantage and test that your smoke detectors are working and have fresh batteries and even consider installing Carbon Monoxide detectors. You can get detectors as well as a good supply of batteries here at 1000Bulbs.com at below retail prices.
