It’s Time! When to Replace Your Hardwired Smoke Alarms
Important guidelines to keep your alarms working & your family safe
In an emergency situation, you rely on your hardwired smoke alarms to function properly. Without proper maintenance and timely replacement, your smoke alarms could malfunction when you need them safe.
Follow these guidelines to keep your smoke alarms functioning properly and keep your home and family protected.
Correct Placement Protects Your Home
According to National Fire Protection Association, a smoke alarm should be installed:
On every level of the home (including the basement)
Inside each bedroom
Outside each sleeping area.
If you are missing a smoke alarm in one of these key areas, you should update your smoke alarms as soon as possible.
Hardwired vs. Battery-Operated Smoke Alarms
Hardwired smoke detectors are interconnected, creating a system that can alert you to smoke wherever you are in your home. In the case of fire, all alarms will sound simultaneously, alerting you immediately to danger and saving precious moments.
With battery-operated smoke alarms, only those closest to the fire will sound. Keep in mind that your hardwired smoke alarms will contain batteries, which power the alarms in the event of a power failure.
Maintaining Your Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarm testing is easy and should be done each month. Simply press the test button on the outside of each alarm to confirm proper functioning. Replace the backup batteries annually or more often if needed. Keep in mind, that if one of your hardwired smoke detectors has gone bad then all your detectors need to be replaced.
In addition to monthly testing, we also recommend annual testing by one of our certified electricians. We check smoke alarms as part of our annual electrical inspections.
Replace Hardwired Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years
Around the 10-year mark, the sensors on your smoke alarm become weaker and less efficient, often due to a buildup of dust. Even if your detector still appears to be working when you test it, at 10 years you will still need to replace it.
The testing could confirm that other parts of the device are working (such as the battery). We recommend replacing all connected smoke alarms at the same time, even if some are working.
Install New Smoke Alarms Today
Smoke alarms are the one thing in your home you shouldn’t take for granted. Call New London Electric today to install, test, or update your smoke alarms.