Half of the home fires and three-fifths of fire deaths occur in homes without smoke detectors. Hundreds of people die each year in homes with smoke detectors that don't work. It's important that you not only have a smoke detector, but that you check and maintain it frequently. You need to know what kind of smoke detector you have and how to maintain it
* Battery-Powered
Battery-powered smoke detectors operate on alkaline batteries. But unlike the bunny, they won't keep going forever. You should check the battery weekly and replace it twice a year. A good time to do this is when you change your clock in the Spring and Fall.
* Hard-Wired Without Battery Backup
This type of smoke detector operates on household current. As long as you have electricity, it will function. But if your house loses power, it will no longer work. If you have this type, you should also install battery-operated models for backup.
* Hard-Wired With Battery Backup
These are hard-wired models that have battery backup so that the detector will still function in case of power failure. If you have this type, you should change the battery twice a year or when needed.
* Hearing-Impaired
These are smoke detectors that are designed for the hearing-impaired. They have strobe lights which, when activated, emit an extremely bright light that is able to awaken most people from their sleep.
* 10-Year Smoke Detector
All smoke detectors sold in Oregon after January 1, 1998 must have a 10-year battery and a hush feature. Their 10-year lithium battery eliminates the need for semiannual battery replacement. The hush feature allows the user to silence the alarm when it's activated by smoke from cooking or steam from a shower. The hush button, if pushed, will silence the alarm for 15 minutes and then reset itself. Important Information About Smoke Detectors * Make Placement a Priority At a minimum, you should have a smoke detector in the hallways and corridors between the sleeping areas and the rest of the house, and a smoke detector in the center of the ceiling directly above each stairway. Additional measures include installing smoke detectors on a wall or the ceiling in each sleeping area. Because smoke rises, you should mount smoke detectors high on the wall or ceiling. You should place a ceiling-mounted unit as close to the center of the room as possible, or at least 12 inches from the wall. For a wall-mounted unit, you should have the top of the detector at least 6-12 inches from the ceiling. Avoid installing smoke detectors near air supply duct outlets and windows, and between bedrooms and the furnace cold air return. Smoke detectors collect dust like everything else in a house. To ensure your smoke detector is clean, follow the manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning or use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and cobwebs.
* Smoke Detector Replacement
It is recommended that you replace smoke detectors every 10 years. At 15 years, there is a 50 percent chance your detector will fail, and an almost 100 percent chance of failure at 30 years. Remember -- Change your smoke alarm batteries the same day you change your clocks in the Spring and Fall.