I love falling back! Getting that extra hour of sleep makes my day (actually, let’s be honest, it makes my month!) I know it’s hard to believe it’s that time already, but November 1st is Daylight Savings time, and it’s important to remember that, in addition to changing your clocks, it’s time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms. You should change the batteries at least once a year, but for everyone who needs an easy ways to remember things, Change your clocks, change your batteries- it’s a perfect tool to act as a trigger! Changing your smoke alarm battery on November 1 is also a great way to cap off Fire Prevention Month (which was October.)
And while we’re on the topic, here are some more important tips to keep your smoke alarms functioning properly. You should test the batteries in your smoke detector once a month by pushing the test button until it beeps. Also clean out those cobwebs, which can hinder the smoke alarm’s ability to do its job. And while some things like cheese and art get better with age-smoke alarms don’t, so replace them every 10 years.
Smoke alarms should be located on every floor of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside sleeping areas if you sleep with the doors closed. In new homes, systems are required to be hard-wired- if one smoke alarm goes off they all go off- but similar systems which do the same thing are also available for existing homes. The basic old fashioned ones are still good too. And if you have all of those bases covered, consider purchasing a carbon monoxide detector for your home- you can never be too prepared!!
Smoke detectors save lives every day. It’s easy to put it off, but just take a few minutes on Saturday when you’re resetting your clocks to change the batteries in your smoke alarms. You’ll be glad you did.
Elena
Elena Sabin is the Community Disaster Education Specialist for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.