Smoke Alarms & How They Save Lives | Network Know How

When & How to Change Your Smoke Alarm Batteries 

Smoke alarms save lives – it’s a fact. 

According to Fire and Rescue NSW, 56% of fatal home fires between 2000 and 2014 occurred in homes where no smoke alarms were present. Having a working smoke alarm in your home is critical, that’s why changing batteries and conducting a smoke alarm test should be at the top of your priority list.  

Of course, it is a concern that some households may have appeared in the above statistics because they neglected smoke alarm maintenance or being checked by an electrician. With this in mind, Australian state governments and organisations have combined to support 1st April as the annual ‘Don't be a Fool’ campaign. An event promoting yearly maintenance of household smoke detectors as well as battery replacement — mitigating the above results amongst families and households alike. 

That’s Fine, But How Do I Know When My Battery Needs Replacing? 

Whether installed by an electrician or DIY, smoke alarms are clever little things – the majority of models will let you know when the battery needs replacing. So-much-so, most smoke alarms will emit small, high-pitched chirping or beeping noises every 30-60 seconds alerting you the batteries need to be changed. 

However, for the safety of yourself and everyone in your household, don’t wait until your smoke alarm tells you that the battery needs changing. Make a habit of replacing batteries annually, regardless of whether the alarm is telling you to do it or not. In fact, when servicing, it’s one of the first things your local electrician will do. 

And remember, mains-powered smoke alarms also need their batteries replaced. Electric smoke detectors use a backup battery for situations where there is no power, and these backup batteries need replacing too. So, it’s essential you also change the battery in your mains-powered smoke alarms, akin to a standard battery-powered alarm, so that they are still able to function in case of an emergency. 

What Is An Appropriate Smoke Alarm Check?  

• Monthly – pressing the ‘Test’ button to ensure the battery and alarm work. you should hear a loud, ear-piercing sound whilst pressing down on the button. If there is only a faint sound (or none at all) this is an indication that the batteries might need to be replaced. If replacing the batteries still doesn’t fix the problem, you may need to replace the smoke alarm itself.  
• Every 6 Months – a great regular smoke alarm test is to clean with a vacuum cleaner and remove any debris or dust particles that may prevent the device from working properly.  
• Yearly – replace the batteries.  
• Every 10 Years – replace the entire device.   

If you’re searching for an ‘electrician near me’ for advice on maintaining or conducting a smoke alarm test, where to install smoke alarms in your home, or help test your existing smoke alarms, Network Plumbing is always available to help. For more information on smoke alarm checks, give our friendly team a call on 9023 3232 today. 

One of our electricians will be able to assist you with any smoke alarm checks you may have and can carry out a thorough check to ensure the alarms in your home are all working properly, keeping you and your household safe. 

For More information, visit https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/