Daylight saving time ends this Sunday: Check your clocks, and your smoke alarms
As daylight saving time ends this Sunday, be sure to check your clocks and your smoke alarms.
LOS ANGELES - Get ready to gain an hour of sleep this weekend as daylight saving time ends on Sunday. While you're busy turning back your clocks, there's one more step to take that could safe your life: check your smoke alarm batteries.
In this case, that's Sunday, November 3 at 2 a.m. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, the best time to change your smoke alarm batteries is when you change your clocks for daylight saving time.
Your phones and other electronic devices should be able to adjust on their own, but the smoke alarm that could potentially save your life will need an extra hand in order to keep working the rest of the year.
While disconnecting a chirping fire alarm sounds tempting, the obnoxious sound actually means it's time to change the battery. Most smoke alarms require a battery change every year, and if you hear a chirp, it's time for a change.
This simple detail could have a huge impact as nearly two-thirds of all house fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarm, according to the IAFF.
“In half of reported home fires in which smoke alarms were present but did not operate, the batteries had been removed or the alarm was disconnected due to dead battery alerts or nuisance alarms,” says the IAFF.
The IAFF recommends that each bedroom have a smoke alarm installed, as well as having them placed outside each sleeping area on every level of your home including your basement. Smoke alarms should also be installed at least 10 feet from any cooking appliance to minimize false alarms.
Make sure to check the instructions that come with every fire alarm when testing and replacing the battery. Most alarms take a 9-volt battery, and can be tested by pressing and holding the test button on the alarm.