February Industry Highlight: Time To Check Your Smoke Detectors

Did you know February 6th through February 12th is National Burn Week? The goal of this week is to educate YOU about the hazards of fires and burns.

One way to prevent serious injuries from fires is to have a working smoke detector. According to the NFPA, “ The death rate per 1,000 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms.” In homes where smoke alarms were installed, but not functioning properly, two out of every five smoke detectors had missing or disconnected batteries. Are your smoke detectors working? When was the last time you checked?  It is recommended to test smoke detectors monthly to ensure it will work when you need it most.

Follow these simple steps to check your smoke detectors.

  1. Warn everybody in your home before testing so no one calls 911 inadvertently. If the smoke detector is connected to a monitoring security system, you should notify the third-party company as well.
  2. Ask someone to stand in a room farthest away from the detector to ensure everyone in the house will hear the alarm, should it go off.
  3. Now, test the power by pressing and holding the test button for a few seconds. You may need to press it again to turn off the alarm. Most smoke detectors have a light that indicates the unit has power, but it’s best to ensure the smoke detector is fully functioning.
  4. If the alarm doesn’t sound, you may need to replace the batteries.

Check the sensor using an aerosol spray designed for this purpose. If the alarm does not sound when you use the spray, the sensor may be worn out and the detector should be replaced immediately. To turn off the alarm, use a small vacuum to suck the aerosol away from the detector.

C3 wants to ensure everyone is always safe, but especially while in the comfort of your home. Sometimes a reminder to check on the small things can make the biggest difference when it comes to our safety. Check your smoke detectors now. C3 cares about YOU!