How long do smoke alarms last and what are the installation, maintenance, testing and replacement requirements?
Installation The National Fire Protection Association recommends installing smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, making sure that there is an alarm outside every separate sleeping area. New homes are required to have a smoke alarm in every sleeping room and all smoke alarms must be interconnected. Maintenance Regular cleaning of smoke alarms can prevent false alarms caused by the buildup of dust or other contamination such as flies. Photoelectric (optical) type alarms are more susceptible to contamination due to possible interference with the light source and sensor. A vacuum cleaner can be used to clean both ionization and photoelectric alarms externally and internally. Testing Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button. Replacement Smoke alarms become less reliable with time, primarily due to aging of their electronic components, as well as from dust and contamination, making them susceptible to nuisance false alarms. Replace all smoke alarms
