The annual fall ritual of returning clocks to standard time will take place November 3rd. We would like to remind everyone that when it’s time to change your clocks it is also time for that other fall ritual, changing the batteries in your smoke alarms.
The death rate per 100 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.
Per 100 fires, there were 1.18 deaths without working smoke detectors, compared to 0.53 deaths when working smoke detectors were present. In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, almost half (46 percent) of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries. Dead batteries caused roughly one-quarter of the smoke alarm failures, according to the National Fire Protection Administration.
At a minimum, standard smoke alarm batteries should be changed at least once a year and preferably twice a year. The fall and spring time changes are great reminders for folks to change their smoke alarm batteries. Here are a few other tips to ensure that your smoke alarm is functioning properly:
- Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the house including the basement.
- Install working smoke alarms in every bedroom and outside each sleeping area.
- Even if your smoke detector is directly wired into a power source, many will still have a backup battery that needs to be replaced yearly.
- Some smoke detectors will alert you that the batteries need to be changed by sounding the alarm. If your smoke detector is sounding in the absence of smoke, it may need a battery replacement.
For an in-depth walk through on how to change the batteries in your smoke alarm, click this link: https://www.wikihow.life/Change-the-Batteries-in-Your-Smoke-Detector
At Klein Property Management the safety and security of our tenants is our top priority. Please give us a call at 732 446-0611 if we can be of assistance or email us at [email protected].
