Does Your Smoke Detector Work?

Smoke detectors have been credited with saving many lives. They are, in fact, important life savings devices . . . IF THEY WORK!

Recently, two young children died in a fire in a house equipped with smoke detectors. Why? In part, because the smoke detectors couldn't work. The batteries were dead.

That a house should be equipped with smoke detectors isn't enough. The units must work, they must be maintained, the batteries must be replaced.

While smoke detectors do save lives, battery-powered smoke detectors are often only a very false sense of security. If you have the choice, use a "hard-wired" smoke detector. It's connected directly to the electrical system and typically has a small, internal, rechargeable battery for operation during power failure. If you must use a battery-powered unit, it is better than nothing; IF you test it regularly and keep the batteries fresh.

It's a small price to pay to save a life, maybe your own.

Ann Arbor Home Inspection Inspector
P.O. Box 7300, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48107
Phone: (734)369-3003 • Email: richard@annarborhomeinspection.com