Take Care of Your Smoke Detectors and They’ll Take Care of You

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Smoke and CO detectors can save your life, but only if you maintain them. Follow SERVPRO of West Hartford's tips and stay safe!

We all know how important smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are, right? And we all maintain them and make sure they’re working correctly, right? Right?

Well, no, not all of us do. According to Consumer Reports, a recent survey of more than 2,300 adults showed that many Americans don’t pay enough attention to these life-saving devices:

• Can’t remember when they last tested their smoke detectors: 32%
  Can’t remember when they last tested their CO detectors: 41%
• Can’t remember when they last changed the batteries in their smoke detectors: 25%
  Can’t remember when they last changed the batteries in their CO detectors: 31%
• Can’t remember when they installed their smoke detectors: 53%
  Can’t remember when they installed their CO detectors: 48%

SERVPRO of West Hartford hopes that this information acts as a reminder for you to check up on your smoke and CO detectors, so that they are ready to work if you have a fire emergency in your home. After all, according to the National Fire Protection Association, you and your family could have as little as two minutes to escape a house fire!

How to Maintain Your Home’s Smoke and CO Detectors

Put them in the right places

• Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside all sleeping areas and in each bedroom
• Install a CO alarm on each level of your home and outside all sleeping areas
• Ideally, your alarms are interconnected so that if one goes off, they all do. Professional installation may be required

Test your detectors once a month

• Push the test button on each smoke and CO detector
• If an alarm doesn’t sound, replace the batteries and retest. If the detector still doesn’t sound, replace it
• If a detector begins chirping on its own, replace the batteries

Replace old detectors

• Install new smoke detectors at least every 10 years
• Install new CO detectors at least every 5 to 7 years
• If a detector malfunctions (won’t stop chirping, for example), don’t just unplug it or pull the battery out. Replace it!

Recover From a House Fire

Smoke and CO detectors don’t prevent a fire from starting, of course. They give you and your family a fighting chance to escape without injury and a shot at minimizing the physical damage to your home and possessions. If you do have a fire in your home, call SERVPRO of West Hartford to handle your fire damage cleanup. We are the central Connecticut experts on fully restoring fire damage, from start to finish.

We’re Here for You

The team at SERVPRO of West Hartford has specialized training and experience in fire restoration and cleanup, as well as natural disaster and storm damage cleanup, water damage and mold remediation, and chemical and biohazard cleanup. Call SERVPRO of West Hartford (860.206.6141) any time.

If your home or business suffers damage from a fire, call SERVPRO of West Hartford today at 860.206.6141

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO publishes educational articles on how you can protect your home and business from fire, water, mold, sewage, storm, natural disaster and other damage.

SERVPRO of West Hartford
100 Peters Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002
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Call 860.206.6141
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If your home or business suffers damage from a fire, call SERVPRO of West Hartford today at 860.206.6141