Smoke Alarm Tips

• You may need several smoke alarms to adequately protect your family. Install at least one UL-listed smoke alarm on every level of your home, including the basement and outside each sleeping area.



• The utilization of both photoelectric and ionization technologies optimize detection and could offer you and your family the best available escape time in residential fire situations.



• Interconnected smoke alarms will help alert occupants in all areas of a home, regardless of where the smoke starts.



• If you or family members sleep with the bedroom door closed, install smoke alarms inside the bedroom.



• Some individuals, particularly children, the elderly, and those with special needs, may not wake up to the sound of a smoke alarm. You should keep this in mind when developing a home fire escape plan.



• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing smoke alarms.



• Test smoke alarms at least once a month.



• Don't disconnect a smoke alarm or remove the batteries for any reason.



• Replace batteries in all smoke alarms once a year.



• Replace the smoke alarm every 10 years, or as the manufacturer recommends.



• Look for the UL Mark when you purchase a smoke alarm. The symbol indicates representative samples of the alarm have met UL's stringent safety standards.