Q.  Why do I need smoke alarms? Do they do any good?

A.  Smoke alarms save lives. They can cut your risk of dying in a fire nearly in half. If properly installed, smoke alarms help reduce fire deaths and injuries, they warn you early so you can get out in time.

Q. How do smoke alarms work?

A.  There are two different types of alarms. An ionization smoke alarm is always watching the air around it. When smoke from a fire gets inside the alarm, it changes how the alarm works. If enough smoke enters, the alarm knows something could be wrong and makes a loud sound to warn everyone.

A photoelectric smoke alarm uses a beam of light inside the alarm. When the air is clear, the light misses the sensor. When smoke particles enter, they scatter the light so it reaches the sensor. If enough smoke is detected, the alarm sounds.

The National Fire Protection Association advises that people have both types of alarms in their homes or use dual-sensor alarms that combine both technologies in one unit.

Q.  Where should I put my smoke alarms?

A.  Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.

Q. Are there regulations regarding smoke alarms?

A. The National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72) requires hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms with battery back-up on every level of a new home, outside each sleeping area, and inside each bedroom. Alarms must be wired together so that if one sounds, they all sound.

Q.  My home is older. What are the rules for smoke alarms in a home like mine?

A. If smoke alarms are not already in place in an existing home, at a minimum install them on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area. For the best protection, install interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom and throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

Q. How often should I test my smoke alarms?

A.  Ulse the test button and test smoke alarms every month. If they’re not working, change the batteries.

Q. My smoke alarms are battery powered. When should I change the batteries?

A.  Replace the batteries at least once a year.  Replacing batteries this often will not hurt, but fresh batteries typically last at least a year, so more frequent replacement is not necessary unless the smoke alarm begins to chirp.

Q.  How long can I keep my smoke alarms before I have to replace them?

A.  Replace your smoke alarms every 10 years. 

Q.  I am hard of hearing and can’t hear a smoke alarm. What can I do?

A.  There are smoke alarms and alert devices available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Strobe lights flash when the smoke alarm sounds, warning people of a possible fire. To help when they are asleep, a pillow or bed shaker can wake them. The shaker is activated by the sound of a smoke alarm.

Q.  Every time I cook my smoke alarm goes off. What should I do?

A.  A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep them away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove. To prevent nuisance alarms, vacuum cobwebs and dust from your smoke alarms monthly. Never disable a smoke alarm, even if you experience nuisance alarms while cooking or showering. Instead, use the alarm’s “hush” button. If nuisance alarms are a persistent problem, look for a different type of smoke alarm and ensure they are installed in correct areas in the home.

Visit here to learn 20 ways to help you avoid having a fire in your home.