With 2022 looming, many people are taking the time to plan their New Year’s resolutions. However, there’s a simple change everyone can make that looks after you and your home. One thing that you may not consider often is whether to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and fire alarms.
Let’s take a look at why you should be doing this to practise good fire safety in your home. At Northants Fire, our team wants to take the time to wish you a Merry Christmas and provide this blog to help keep you safe throughout the new year.
The Importance Of Changing Your Smoke Detector Batteries
If a smoke alarm doesn’t function properly in the event of a fire, anyone inside the property is 4 times more likely to become a casualty. Data collected by the UK government shows that people are getting better at remembering to check their smoke detector’s batteries. Ten years ago, 20% of fires were found to have occurred in dwellings where the smoke detector’s battery was missing, while 9% occurred when the battery was defective. Between 2020 and 2021, however, 10% of reported fires happened in premises that had a smoke alarm with a defective battery.
You may not often think about how important that flashing device is at the bottom of the staircase. Smoke alarms are always there and hopefully, you will never need them. However, you should always be aware of how important its role is. A smoke detector gives you an early warning sign that there is a potential fire, allowing you and anyone else in your home to leave quickly and safely. Even if it’s only seconds, any time reduces the risk of the fire causing an injury or fatality.
Smoke detectors save lives. With a little maintenance, you can have peace of mind the device is reliable and able to alert whoever’s home if a fire breaks out. You should ideally be testing your smoke alarm every month to make sure that the batteries haven’t died and that there’s no problem. Being proactive could save you and your family in the event of a fire.
Always be sure to check the smoke detector’s batteries regularly and change them as soon as possible if needed. Some detectors, even when hard-wired, rely on the battery as a backup power source; this will need changing every year.
Contact Northants Fire Today!
Here at Northants Fire, based in Northampton, we believe that you and your family should always be protected from a potential fire breaking out.
Our team has been successfully installing smoke detectors, fire alarms, and providing fire extinguishers to families and businesses since 1989. By working with us you can trust in our years of experience, safe in the knowledge that we’re experts at keeping you and your family safe from any potential house fires.
If you are in the surrounding area and need a new smoke alarm fitting, get in touch on 01604 760 600. To send us a message about anything fire safety-related, contact us via our website.
