LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – We will be springing ahead one hour on March 9th. So, while you are changing your clocks, it’s a great time to check your smoke detectors.
Fire always happens when you least expect it and having a smoke detector on every level of your home and in or just outside sleeping areas could mean the difference between surviving a house fire or not.
Fire officials say nearly three out of five deaths from house fires occurred in homes without smoke detectors or where the devices failed to work.
So, don’t just replace the batteries—also check to make sure the smoke detectors work once a month.
“You always check smoke alarms to make sure they're working, because a lot of times you look up there and you think that, oh yeah, everything's fine, and you don't know if somebody's pulled the battery out. You don't know if it's not working, whatever malfunction that it may have that can cost somebody their life if they're not checking the smoke alarm. So just once a month, press the button, make sure it works and feel confident,” said Warren Pughsley, fire inspector with the Lima Fire Department.
Alarm sensors can wear out, so you should replace your smoke detectors every 10 years and prevent dust from collecting on the device to ensure it is working properly.
