Smoke detectors can help protect you and your family in the event of a fire, but they need proper maintenance to work. Here are some tips for keeping your smoke detector running:
- Test a smoke detector monthly by pressing the test button. If the detector chirps, then it’s operational.
- Replace smoke detector batteries once a year, even if you still get a positive battery response when you test it. A great time to do this is during spring cleaning.
- If your smoke detector does not emit a positive test tone after putting in a fresh battery, replace the detector.
- Replace your smoke detector once every 10 years, even if it passes the chirp test. Write the installed date on a piece of masking tape and stick it to your detector for easy reference.
- Check your detector for a “replace by” sticker. If you can’t find a date, replace it immediately.
Follow all these tips and you can keep your home and family safe!