Daylight Saving Time (DST) arrives on Sunday, when we “Fall Back” and get a welcome extra hour of sleep in the morning (even if we lose the extra hour of daylight in the evening). And with cold weather arriving, holidays fast approaching, and furnaces and fireplaces cranking up, this month is the perfect time to test your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors to make sure they’re functioning properly.
- Press and hold the “test” button on the smoke or CO detector to make sure the alarm goes off. Replace the batteries if the alarm doesn’t work, or if the batteries are more than a year old, then test again.
- Be sure to write the date the battery was replaced on the battery or on a piece of tape stuck to the back of the alarm. It’s also a good idea to blow out smoke and CO alarms with canned air periodically to remove dust. Also, be sure to replace any alarms that are over than 10 years.
Done! Checking your detectors is quick, easy, and could save your (and your family’s) life. And once it’s done, you can sit back and enjoy your holiday season with a sense of ease.
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