Stay Safe With These Smoke Detector Tips From SERVPRO of Kirkland

5/15/2023 (Permalink)

Don't wait until its too late to check on your smoke detector, it could save your life!

Here's What You May Want to Know

When installing a smoke alarm in your Kirkland, Bellevue, Redmond, Bothell, or Woodinville home, it’s important to follow the recommendations of professionals, including fire damage restoration services, to ensure the alarm functions properly in an emergency. Here’s what you may want to know.

1. Regular Maintenance

It’s very important to maintain your smoke detectors for fire safety. Many professionals recommend checking the batteries in all alarms located in your home once a year at the very least. Usually many choose to do this at daylight savings to keep the maintenance routine consistent. Making sure your units are dust free can help prevent malfunctioning. It’s also recommended to periodically test the unit according to the manufacturer's directions to ensure functionality. With most units, there is a test button you can press to hear the alarm sound. If your alarm is malfunctioning in any way it should be replaced entirely.

2. Alarm Placement

The exact placement of a smoke alarm in your home can also be very important. It’s recommended that at the very least one alarm be placed on each floor of the building. Make sure to place an alarm in high-risk areas such as a workshop or kitchen. Most fire experts recommend that you place one alarm inside each bedroom, and one alarm outside the bedrooms as well. It may be adequate in some situations to place a single alarm outside multiple bedrooms if they share a hall or living area.

3.Operation Life

A smoke detector does have a defined operation life. Many professionals recommend the full replacement of any unit over ten years old to ensure proper functionality during the event of an emergency. Older units often have a higher risk of malfunctioning which could certainly be costly to your home and family.

When installing a smoke alarm in your home it’s important to do regular maintenance of the unit, place the alarm inside and outside each bedroom, as well as in the kitchen area, and fully replace old units. Doing all of these recommended things can help keep your home and family safe.