Change CO and Fire Alarm Batteries When Rolling Back Clocks

Posted on November 2, 2012

Many people across the country are excited about the prospect of getting an extra hour of sleep this weekend when Daylight Saving Time comes to a close early on Sunday.  But perhaps you could be using that extra hour to do something that could end up protecting your family:  changing the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke alarms.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is attempting to get consumers to do exactly that, and they have numerous data to back up their emphasis on the importance of these devices.  For one thing, homes that did not have a smoke alarm comprised a full two thirds of the 2,300 fatalities that took place every year because of a residential fire between 2008 and 2010, with fires costing a total of $7 billion in damage and 12,500  people incurring an injury every year as well.  Unintentional carbon monoxide fatalities added up to a total of 183 deaths each year in the time between 2006 and 2008.

Don’t put yourself and your family at risk.  Swap out the batteries this weekend, and use the extra time to also test fire alarms throughout your home.  For carbon monoxide detectors, make sure you have enough alarms on hand to cover every level of your home.  Have a professional come by every year to verify that appliances like furnaces don’t pose an additional carbon monoxide threat, and do whatever else you can to protect yourself until Daylight Saving Time begins again.

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