A sure sign of spring is adjusting to Daylight Saving Time, which arrives Sunday at 2:00 a.m. That’s when you set your clocks ahead an hour before going to bed Saturday night.
It’s also a great time, and a natural reminder, to change the batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Manitowoc Fire and Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Jason Russ tells Seehafer News that 95% of all homes smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors.
Conversely, only about 20% are functional.
Russ says, “One of the main reasons they become non-functioning is because the smoke detector battery becomes neglected over the years. It just goes dead, or the battery is being used up. The other part is, somebody might need that battery to run a remote or some other battery powered thing. Unfortunately, they do get robbed, so we have this natural reminder twice a year to take a look at that battery and replace it.”
The market is producing solutions to that problem, notes Russ. “The units are coming where they’re actually sealed, so you can’t even get access to the battery. After ten years, the battery will activate it, that’ll start to chirp, and that’s the time you rid of it because there’s no way to get rid of that battery.”
When it comes to the best place to position detectors in your home, Russ says, “Smoke detectors, in the bedroom, and you could have a carbon monoxide detector in the bedroom. Outside of each sleeping area is a good area to put those on every area of the home, including the basement, because most basements are where utilities are housed.” Where else? “The other good locations are living rooms, the den or family area, and near stairwells going to the basement or upstairs to another level.”
Combination smoke/carbon monoxide detectors are also infiltrating the market. The Assistant Fire Chief quipped that Daylight Saving Time can be like “celebrating a birthday” of that small, vital device that you care for that constantly watches over your and your family.
For more information or any questions, call the Manitowoc City Fire Dept. at (920) 686-6540.
