Kent fire officials recommend changing smoke alarm batteries when clocks go back

Clocks go back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 4 and the Kent Fire Department recommends that it’s a good time to change smoke alarm batteries.

Smoke alarms which run on 9 volt batteries or hardwired smoke alarms with battery backups need to be changed annually to ensure they work when you need them, according to a Kent Fire Department media release.

Make sure that you dispose of the batteries properly by recycling them. Avoid throwing them in the garbage. A smoke alarm only alerts if it is working.

Another type of annual maintenance you can perform on your smoke alarms is to vacuum them out when you change the batteries. Dust can accumulate in the small grill near the sensor, blocking its ability to detect smoke and warn you with an alarm.

Keep in mind that smoke alarms have a life expectancy of approximately 10 years. If your smoke alarms are that old, or you are not sure how old they are, replace them and write the purchase date on the inside of the new smoke alarms (there is also a date stamp on the back of the alarm).

There are several different types of smoke alarms:

• Hardwired alarms are interconnected causing them all to activate if one sensor detects smoke.

• Wireless interconnected systems do the same, but as the same implies, operate without having to run wires throughout your home.

• Combination type alarms have sensors that detect both fast burning and slow smoldering fires, which utilize ionization and photoelectric technology.

• Lithium battery smoke alarms are powered by a long-life lithium battery instead of a standard 9 volt. These special batteries are intended to last the entire life of the alarm and do not need to be changed annually.

• Standard 9 volt powered smoke alarms.

Select the type of alarm which best suits your needs. In all cases, choose an alarm which has the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) seal of approval.

Smoke alarm facts:

Smoke alarms save lives by reducing the risk of dying in a home fire by 40-50 percent; households with nonworking smoke alarms outnumber those with no alarms at all; and nearly half of all smoke alarms do not work due to missing or dead batteries.

While thinking about smoke alarms, consider purchasing a carbon monoxide alarm as well. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of burning and inhibits the body’s ability to absorb oxygen. Vehicles left running in garages, charcoal barbecues brought indoors, and generators operating too close to the residence are all ways for this deadly gas to build up in your home.

Watch for headaches, dizziness, or lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness

If you think that CO has entered your home, evacuate and call 911 immediately.