Smoke Detectors

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

I know the recommendation for battery powered smoke detector is to change them twice a year. Does everyone follow that or do you just do it once a year?

Also, if you have an electrical powered smoke detector with battery back up, how often do you change it?

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

Ours are "hard wired" as are the CO-2 detectors. We replace them every fall. I buy the 9-Volt batteries in bulk at Sam's, cause we use a half dozen or so to replace them. Is it necessary to do it so often? Probably not, but I have an acquaintance who almost died of CO-2 poisoning, so replace frequently I do.

Fern

I know the recommendation for battery powered smoke detector is to change them twice a year. Does everyone follow that or do you just do it once a year?

Also, if you have an electrical powered smoke detector with battery back up, how often do you change it?

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Wait...I thought that's what the beeper thing was for. Our smoke detectors are supposed to beep annoyingly when they need new batteries. And they do sometimes beep annoyingly, and we change their batteries then.

CO2 detectors are plugged right into the wall and there's a test button--sometimes we remember to test them. Not as often as the instructions said. I think they wanted us to test every week or so!

[PigsDad Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PigsDad]

I try to remember to replace them once a year, in the fall during the DST time change. I have heard the same recommendation to replace them twice a year when we set clocks for DST, but that seems over the top. Once a year is probably overkill as well, but I seem to be able to remember it, so it works for me.

BTW, I have the wired type w/ a battery backup.

Kurt

[CMF Member Find all posts View Profile Close CMF]

Did you know you have to replace the dectetor every 5 years?

I have the hardwired type and was surprised to learn that they are only good for 5 years.

Charles

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

CMF, do you mean the life of the hard wired smoke detector is estimated at 5 years and one should replace them? I need to take a count of them in my new house, that should be an expense item on the ole' retirement budget.

[CMF Member Find all posts View Profile Close CMF]

Maybe not all of them.

The ones in my house need to be replaced at the 5 year mark. There should be some information somewhere on the smoke detector itself telling you when to replace them. I just did a quick Google search and it seems that the consensus is to replace them at the 10 year mark.


Charles