Fire alarms prevent thousands of fatalities every year and should be inspected and tested on a regular basis. For residential electric service, including fire and smoke alarm testing and assessment, contact the Atlanta technicians at Pat Murphy Electric today.
When To Replace Your Alarms and Detectors
The general rule of thumb for replacing fire and smoke alarms is every 5 years. Keep in mind that this refers to the actual device, not just the battery. Despite the fact that yours have probably only been used a few times over the course of the last decade, wear and tear and device malfunction can still occur.
Regardless of use, it pays to swap out those old alarms and detectors for reliability's sake. If you have recently purchased a home and are unsure of when the existing alarms were last installed, err on the safe side and upgrade right away. This will eliminate any doubts you may have and ensure your home and family are adequately protected from harm.
When upgrading your smoke detector, consider a smoke/carbon monoxide combination alarm instead. These two-in-one products are becoming more and more popular and are designed with the latest detection technology. Plus, fewer devices means less work on your end when it comes time to replace or service the equipment. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is adamant about getting more homeowners to go the dual alarm route as well. Many people never give the carbon monoxide a thought even though hundreds of people are injured and killed due to carbon monoxide poisoning each year.
The Atlanta electrical contractors at Pat Murphy Electric advise residents to install new batteries once a year or when their alarms start chirping, whichever comes first. As well, our Atlanta technicians recommend that you test and clean each detector at least once a month. Wipe away any dust and debris that is built up around the audio port to help prevent the sound from being muffled.
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