Change your smoke detector batteries today!

[Hugh R]

With the change from Daylight Saving to Standard time. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you change your smoke detector batteries today. Do it the same day every year and you won't forget. I changed 11 of them this morning.

[singpilot]

I have to get intelligent (or stupid) twice a year. Figuring out how to change all the clocks, and how to get to the batt compartments on all the smoke detectors.

[LeeH]

Originally posted by singpilot
I have to get intelligent (or stupid) twice a year. Figuring out how to change all the clocks, and how to get to the batt compartments on all the smoke detectors.

Our detectors are hard wired... and we live in Arizona (no daylight savings time). I don't ever have to get intelligent.

[azasadny]

Mine are all hard wired, but you should also mount a fire extinguisher near the phone. If you have a fire and have to call 911, the fire extinguisher will be very handy (ask me how I know!).

[island911]

All my smoke detectors have a 'low-battery chirp' feature. That is they chirp once every few minutes when the batteries are low.

They all have a 'test' feature too. --the dog hates that one.

No need to replace perfectly good batteries.

[Hugh R]

Island, gotta disagree.

1)They all wear out at the same rate, i.e., one doesn't work harder than another.

2)Some rooms I may not go in for weeks (daughter at college's bedroom for example), so won't hear the chirp.

3)When I didn't change them annually, I'd start getting one or two chirping in 12-14 months.

Better to change them all annually.

[vash]

i change mine all the time. i like the daylight savings reminder.
11 smoke detectors? damn, i got maybe five, and they are really close to each other. small house. when i burn toast, it gets pretty hectic.

[azasadny]

We just renovated our house and every room has a smoke detector that is hard-wired. The ahllways have them and so does the kitchen (of course). We also have night lights in the hallways and a nice, big fire extinguisher next to the phone in the kitchen.

[vash]

just thinking... you guys with the huge homes. let's say the smoke det, goes off in the kitchen, and you cannot hear it in the bedrooms. everyone is sleeping...does the other alarms (the ones in the bedrooms) go off at the same time? ( i am asking the hardwired guys)

[Porschephile944]

Originally posted by vash
just thinking... you guys with the huge homes. let's say the smoke det, goes off in the kitchen, and you cannot hear it in the bedrooms. everyone is sleeping...does the other alarms (the ones in the bedrooms) go off at the same time? ( i am asking the hardwired guys)

If one hardwired ones goes of in my parents house all of them will go off. Just like someone else said, makes buring toast fun.

[Hugh R]

I'll tell you why you need to keep your smoke detector batteries fresh.

12 year old daughter strings candles above her bed with string, in the morning, I find candles burned out and 2 of the 3 strings burned out and the burned out candles hanging above her bed.

14 year old daughter, same girl, puts taco shells in toaster oven and they catch on fire while I'm at the market. 12 year old (boy scout) son grabs fire extinguisher and puts out fully engulfed toaster oven fire.

16 year old daughter, same girl, turns on gas fireplace at midnight while I'm sleeping, and goes to get a match/clicker, and gets distracted. At 3AM, 14 year old (boy scout) son, same son, wakes up to take a piss and smells gas doesn't turn on lights, finds fireplace roaring natural gas with no flame, turns off gas, opens doors and windows and doesn't turn on lights and wakes me up.

Me and wifey go to Grand Bahamas and leave 18 year old daughter, same one, and 16 year old son at home, come home and find a fire melted one gallon gasoline can floating in the spa. Turns out the 16 year old son (I hope) to be Eagle Scout doused a burning fire in the fire pit with gas and it came back to the can.

I know very little of this has to do with smoke detector batteries, but you need all the ammunition that you can get.

[M.D. Holloway]

not sure I would leave that one (the Daughter) alone...say a prayer for her future husband. Weddings presents to include a lifetime membership to Kidde Fire Extinguisher or the month club.

[red-beard]

Sounds like some future contestants on the Darwin awards.