Change Your Smoke Alarm Batteries When You Change Your Clocks

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It is March, which means that the clocks will be changing soon. Time Change Sunday, as it is known in the US, has long been associated with another type of change however- changing the batteries in your smoke alarms.

It is a simple fact that correctly functioning smoke alarms can save lives. You are twice as likely to die in a fire if there is no smoke alarm providing an early warning system. A person who is overcome by smoke and fumes is unlikely to be able to make an escape. Many fires start at night, so if you are sleeping this is even more likely unless you have a smoke alarm to wake you up.

In order to stay functioning, it is essential that batteries are checked and replaced on a regular basis. Unfortunately this is a task that many people simply forget to carry out.

In the USA, fire safety organisations have managed to make Time Change Sunday synonymous with changing the batteries in your smoke alarms. There has been an ongoing campaign for many years which has encouraged people to use the clocks changing as a reminder to carry out this vital, life saving task.

Smoke alarms are readily available and can provide a life-saving early warning system should a fire break out in your home. They are very inexpensive and easy to fit. There should be at least one smoke alarm fitted on every level of your home - if not in each room. They should be fitted in the centre of the ceiling, in a place where you can easily reach it for testing and maintenance.

There are two types of smoke alarm - ionisation and optical. Ionisation smoke alarms are the cheapest and are best at detecting small particles of smoke from flaming fires. Optical smoke alarms are more costly, but detect large smoke particles from slow burning fires, which can take some time to give off flames. There are also special smoke alarms available for the deaf which use flashing lights or vibrating technology to provide the warning.

Once they are fitted they need to be properly maintained. Apart from the annual battery change, test them every week to make sure the alarm sounds. Twice a year you should open the cover and use a soft brush attachment to gently vacuum inside. If the alarm has been fitted for 10 years, you should be replacing it all together.

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Information on fire fighting equipment and fire extinguishers for home or commercial use



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