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10 Maintenance Tips for Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detection

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Smoke and carbon monoxide detection should be your highest concern this fall if you feel your devices aren’t working exactly to your liking. Home fires in the United States become much more common during the colder months due to a heavier reliance on heating and electricity. When an emergency does break out in your home, a reliable smoke and carbon monoxide detector will be able to keep your family safe, alerting them of a problem immediately. However, if you simply refuse to conduct any maintenance, you may find yourself in a potentially scary situation. A fire can break out in your home in the middle of the night. If your smoke detector is not working properly, that fire may continue to spread as you are counting sheep in your sleep. Worse, if your carbon monoxide detection isn’t working, it allows for the deadly yet odorless gas to seep into your home. With 500 deaths reported each year in the United States due to carbon monoxide poisoning, this is a risk you cannot afford to take. To avoid any costly, or even fatal mistakes this season, you need to make sure your detectors are working to the best of their abilities. You may think it will take the work of an experienced and licensed professional to get it done, but you can also play a role in guaranteeing you have detection keeping your home 100% safe.

Call Excel Electric for High-Quality Service

Excel Electric is here to provide excellent electrical services ensuring you will not have to worry about your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors crashing on you at any point this season. Since house fires can quickly become deadly, it is important to educate yourself and members of your household on the importance of checking them on a regular basis and changing batteries. You should also brush up on your knowledge of carbon monoxide poisoning, ensuring everyone in your household knows the signs of its presence. Maintaining detectors and keeping family members informed will allow them to stay aware and identify any signs of danger and make the proper decisions if they suspect something is awry with a smoke or carbon monoxide detector. With just some quick maintenance, you will be able to achieve much better peace of mind through the season. You will even experience higher property value, due to your home being with essential safety features.

The Top 10 Maintenance Tips for Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detection

The next time you want to ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors aren’t giving you problems, please follow these 10 maintenance tips:

  1. Invest in “End of Life” Sensors: Many smoke and carbon monoxide detectors today will have an “end of life” sensor that will let the homeowner know when the time for replacement is near. This will give you plenty of time to take action in replacing your device before it’s too late.
  2. Replace Old Smoke Detectors: You will need to replace smoke detectors every 10 years. Though a smoke detector can work well past a decade, you will be much better off by replacing it now rather than later to avoid any unexpected breakdowns.
  3. Replace Old Carbon Monoxide Detectors: You should also replace carbon monoxide detectors after every 5 to 7 years. This will avoid both any unexpected malfunctions and eliminate the risk of a gas leak.
  4. Do Not Use Generators Inside: When generators malfunction, they risk leaking out smoke and carbon monoxide. Do not use them inside your home, as one small spark from the generator will cause a fire quite easily, which can be even worse if your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors aren’t working to alert you of a problem.
  5. Consider Battery Back-Ups: Make sure when installing detectors throughout your home they are hard-wired with a battery back-up. Having a battery back-up in place is a way to gain peace of mind, especially if your current set of batteries die out unexpectedly.
  6. Read the Manufacturer’s Guide: The manufacturer’s guide for your smoke and carbon monoxide will give you a clearer understanding of how they work, warning signs that batteries require replacements, and how to handle a situation where your detector suddenly malfunctions.
  7. Be Careful with Cooking: The number one cause of house fires in the United States is cooking. Not everyone is a master chef, but you can still take the right safety precautions in ensuring not to cause a fire. You should not use a grill inside of your garage nor should you use a charcoal style grill inside of the home. Most importantly, do not heat your home with the oven, as it may lead to a higher risk of smoke or carbon monoxide exposure.
  8. Electrochemical Sensors: Always install detectors equipped with electrochemical sensors, which allow your detector to work through any humidity or sudden temperature changes. This allows for a more efficient, durable detector that will be able to alert of an urgent problem.
  9. Switch to Lithium Batteries: Please use lithium-ion batteries instead of traditional ones, as they are much longer-lasting and keep your detector running for years. They also help you save money on battery replacement.
  10. Call Excel for Annual Maintenance: You shouldn’t hesitate to call us once a year for an electrical safety inspection. Professional insight will prove highly beneficial if you want to know which areas of your home need improvement in terms of electrical safety. When our local electrician gives you the okay on your smoke and carbon monoxide detection, you will be able to rest so much easier.

Don’t Put Your Family In Harms Way – Schedule A Service To Ensure The Smoke And Carbon Monoxide Detection Devices In Your Home Are Working

Contact Excel Electric today if you want to learn more about how you can maintain your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detection!

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