They're absolutely vital for your safety – but when was the last time you checked your smoke alarm?
According to our home maintenance experts, now, in October, is the perfect time to do so, particularly during fire prevention week, which ends tomorrow.
Here are the three tasks they recommend getting done as soon as possible, including testing your smoke detector to keep yourself, your family, and your home safe from danger.
3 simple smoke alarm maintenance tasks to do in October, according to pros
1. Test your smoke alarm
First things first, begin by testing your smoke alarm. 'Reason being, it can be the difference between life or death,' says Darius Kordabadi, CEO of Kord Fire Protection. 'It can also save you from fines and high maintenance cost.'
To do so, advises Scott Kegerreis, owner of Kura Home Services, 'Press and hold the test button until you hear the alarm.'
This is vital as a working smoke alarm is one of the easiest and most effective ways to avoid any common fire risks in your home, and Christmas mistakes that increase the risk of home fires.
'It is also smart to check the expiration date on the unit itself,' adds Scott. 'Most smoke alarms need to be replaced every 8-10 years.'
2. Replace any batteries
Next, replace any batteries. This is obviously important if, when testing, the alarm is weak or doesn't go off, but it should be done even if they're not dead yet, advises Scott.
'Most people do this in October because it coincides with Fire Prevention Week, so it's the perfect time,' he says.
To make this quick and easy, we recommend keeping the Ontel Battery Daddy Storage & Organizer Case available at Amazon fully stocked throughout the year. It includes a battery tester, too, so you can check that the batteries you're putting into your smoke alarm are safe for use.
You can also upgrade to a smart smoke detector, which will handily let you know when the batteries need replacing.
3. Clean your smoke detector
Finally, your smoke alarm is one of the things you should clean in October, too.
'For simple cleaning, keep an eye on the smoke alarm,' says Darius. 'Make sure it isn't painted over, damaged, and a common one, isn't covered in grime, dust, or accidentally covered up, as that can prevent it from picking up smoke that is in the air.
'Utilizing compressed air [such as the Innovera Compressed Air Duster Cleaner available at Amazon] to remove any dust and particulates can help keep it clear.'
Alternatively, adds Scott, 'use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment,' or the Cen-Tec Systems Premium Dusting Brush Vacuum Tool, also available at Amazon.
What to shop
This smart smoke detector will send alerts directly to your phone in the event of smoke or carbon monoxide detection, and allows you to get alerts anywhere.
This battery box is compact and easy to store, and makes it simple to find whichever batteries you need quickly.
This combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector provides reliable protection, and includes an end-of-life warning to let you know when it's time to replace the alarm.
Blow away dust and debris from your smoke alarm with ease with this cordless, powerful, and lightweight electric air duster.
These high-sensitivity sensors are suitable for homes, apartments and kitchens, and emit a loud alarm sound when combustible gas or carbon monoxide gas reaches a certain concentration.
This hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide alarm comes with a 10-year battery backup and features crystal clear voice alerts in the event of a fire.
Meet our experts
'This is all important because smoke alarms are the first line of defense if there is a fire,' says Scott. 'Dust and debris can block sensors. Weak batteries could fail in an emergency, and outdated systems might not be able to detect smoke effectively.
'That's why it's good to take a few minutes, once a year, to make sure everything is up to date and working.'
Don't forget to keep up to date with where to install carbon monoxide alarms, too, which should be used alongside your smoke alarms for added, and vitally important, safety.
