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Fire departments recommend you change smoke alarm batteries once a year, and the best way to remember is when the clocks change in the spring. Smoke alarms stop working after about 8 years, so if the ones in your house are ancient, then it’s time to get new ones.

Vacuum dust out of the vents of your alarms when you change the batteries.

Test your alarms monthly. And never use rechargeable batteries, because they go flat much faster than regular ones.

There should be a smoke alarm outside every bedroom. So new and expecting parents, as you are decorating the nursery, make sure there’s a working smoke alarm outside your baby’s bedroom. It’s the most important thing you need for your child’s bedroom.

A carbon monoxide alarm is something all houses should have, especially houses with small children. Babies and toddlers are most at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning, so if you don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm, put that on your to-do list this week. If you do have a carbon monoxide alarm already - change those batteries too.

More information about smoke alarms

More information about carbon monoxide

Tags: carbon monoxide alarms, fire alarms, fire safety, home safety, smoke alarms