This Home Maintenance Task Could Save Your Life

Just about everyone has some sort of smoke detector in their home, and likewise just about everyone has had problems or heard of problems with these pesky devices. And have you ever gone down to the local store or online to see what sort of detectors are available? The numbers and types of detectors are beyond imagination, and the choices overwhelming, to say nothing of the wide price ranges.

First, rest assured that it is well worth your while to pay attention to your smoke detectors, as they save lives. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires nearly in half. In 2005-2009, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from home fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. And smoke alarms are important to you not only because of safety, but because they are required by Washington State Law. Most modern smoke alarms also detect carbon monoxide, also required by law.

Smoke Detector Maintenance

There are three basics to taking care of your smoke detectors.

• Test your alarm regularly by pressing the test button, and changing the battery at least every year.

• Smoke detectors are don’t last forever, and need to be replaced every 10 years, even if functioning normally. If you look at the back of your alarms, you will see the manufacturing date, and hopefully the installation date as well.

• Detectors need regular service, even if they have a 10 year battery. Service includes testing, battery renewal and cleaning the dust, cobwebs and little bugs out of the guts of the alarm, usually with a vacuum or canned air.

This service goes a long way to preventing false alarms. Realizing that many of us find servicing our detectors difficult (we may not have the balance, dexterity or comfort with ladders that we used to have), Methow At Home offers a Smoke Detector Program to help take care of your detectors. Several MAH volunteers have developed this program to evaluate and service your detectors annually. This service is included with your MAH membership, but you need to contact us to enroll in the program. For those whose detectors are in need of replacement (i.e. over 10 years old), we can direct you to the best model for your situation.

NEXT STEPS

Enrolling in the Smoke Detector Program 

1. When a member wants to join this program, contact Methow at Home (509-996-5844) to initiate enrollment.

2. The member will be contacted by the a volunteer by phone or email who will discuss specifics of the Smoke Detector Program. 

3. If the member is still interested, the volunteer arranges an initial visit with the member.  

4. This initial visit includes evaluating the detector, checking the battery, cleaning and testing the member’s detectors, as well as checking fire extinguishers in the house.  

5. Once enrolled in the Program, detector volunteers will clean, check the battery, and test all detectors annually, usually in the Fall. 

6. In addition to the annual maintenance, members can call MAH (509-996-5844) if a problem occurs with a detector between the annual checks. MAH will contact the volunteer and arrangements will be made to address the problem. 

Members reimburse MAH for the cost of a new smoke detector, with 2 exceptions:

• Members who receive membership assistance will not be required to reimburse MAH for new detectors.  

• Batteries, other detector supplies and the annual checks are provided by MAH at no cost to the member. 

If you would benefit from this program and are not already enrolled, reach out to us! Our volunteers are happy to offer this service and help keep our neighbors safe! Call our office at 509-996-5844 to get started!

Thank you to MAH Volunteer, David Clement, for contributing to this article.