The Suisun City Fire Department encourages City residents to use this annual adjustment as the time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. It's also a good time to check to make sure the detector is still functional.
Studies from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) indicate that one out of four alarms may not be functional because of the age of the alarm, as well as dead or missing batteries. The NFPA strongly recommends that smoke alarms be replaced every 10 years.
The following are simple steps residents can take that will greatly reduce the risk of fire-related injury and property loss:
- Change the batteries in smoke alarms every six months or when the low battery signal is heard.
- Test your alarms weekly using the units’ test buttons to ensure batteries and all alarm functions are working properly.
- Never remove the unit’s batteries to stop an unwanted alarm or “nuisance” alarm, such as those caused by cooking smoke or burned toast. According to the NFPA, half of the deaths in homes equipped with smoke alarms occur because the smoke alarm did not sound – usually when batteries are dead, disconnected or missing.
- Replace older smoke alarms after 10 years or in accordance with manufacturer’s warranties.
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