Change your batteries when you change your clocks.
This simple reminder from CAL FIRE – that you should change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks at the beginning and end of daylight savings time – could very well save your life.
“Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms unquestionably help save lives, but they are nothing without working batteries inside of them,” Former State Fire Marshall Tonya Hoover said in a press release¹. “Just a few minutes twice a year to change that battery can truly mean the difference between life and death.”
The beginning and end of daylight savings time – which this year starts on March 11 and ends on November 4 – are also good times to make sure you have enough smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home and that they’re installed in the right place.
As a reminder:
Smoke alarms – Smoke alarms should be in every bedroom in your house, in every hallway leading to a bedroom, and on every other level of your home. Ceiling-mounted alarms should be at least four inches away from any wall and wall-mounted alarms should be four to 12 inches away from the ceiling. You should also avoid placing either alarm near drafty areas like windows and vents².
Carbon monoxide detectors – Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed outside every bedroom and on every level of your home, including the basement. Like smoke alarms, they should be tested regularly and kept clear of any dust or debris³.
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