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Newsletter Archive |
Tips From The Fire Prevention Association
In three of every 10 reported fires in homes equipped with smoke alarms, the devices did not work.
Households with non-working smoke alarms now outnumber those with no smoke alarms. Don’t let
one of those homes be yours.
The National Fire Prevention Association offers valuable information
about preventing – and surviving – a fire in your home, including these
tips about smoke alarms.
Tips for installing your smoke alarms correctly:
Install smoke alarms listed (that is, examined and tested to
appropriate product safety standards) by a qualified testing
laboratory on
every level of your home, including the basement (but not unfinished attics).
Make sure there is an alarm in or near every sleeping area.
Mount the smoke alarms high on ceilings or walls – remember, smoke rises. Ceiling-mounted
alarms should be installed at least four inches away from the nearest wall; wall-mounted alarms
should be installed four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.
Don’t install smoke alarms near windows, outside doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere
with their operation. Don’t paint your smoke alarms; paint or other decorations could keep
them from working when you most need it.
Tips for keeping your smoke alarms working properly:
Test your smoke alarms at least once a month by using the alarms’ “test button.” Never use an open-
flame device to test the alarm as you could burn yourself or start a fire. If the smoke alarm
manufacturer’s instructions permit the use of an aerosol smoke product for testing the smoke alarm, only
use one that has been listed by a third-party product testing agency, and utilize it in accordance with the
product instructions.
Replace the batteries in your smoke alarms once a year, or as soon as the alarm “chirps,”
warning that the battery is low.
Helpful hint:
Schedule battery replacements for the same day you change your clock from
daylight to standard time in the fall.
Regularly vacuuming or dusting your smoke alarm following manufacturer’s instructions can help
keep it working properly.
Replace your smoke alarms once every 10 years.
Never “borrow” a battery from a smoke alarm.
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