The smoke alarms throughout your home help play a crucial role in keeping you and your family safe by alerting you to potential dangers. However, the best smoke alarms provide no value if they do not have working batteries. It is important that you check and test home smoke alarms often and replace the batteries in order to ensure the detectors are working properly.
What Smoke Alarm Do You Have?
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends changing the batteries in your smoke alarm every 6 months. At First Alert, we offer 10-year smoke alarms that have a built-in 10-year battery, which eliminates the need for battery replacements for the life of the alarms. We also offer hardwired alarms with a battery backup, for protection during power outages.
Testing and Changing Your Smoke Alarm Battery
It is recommended you test your alarms at least once a month to ensure they are working properly. If your smoke alarms are powered by a nine-volt battery, the battery should be replaced every 6 months, while the detector itself should be replaced once every 10 years. For 10-year lithium-powered smoke alarms, you won’t need to replace the battery. Instead, replace the entire alarm after 10 years from the manufacture date on the back of the alarm. If your alarm is hardwired into your home’s electrical system, replace the backup battery at least every 6 months and replace the smoke detector itself once every 10 years.