According to the Center for Disease Control and Protection, working smoke detectors can reduce the risk of death in a residential fire by 40-50%. For minimum protection, install a smoke detector outside of each bedroom or sleeping area in your home. Install detectors on every level of your home and keep your bedroom doors closed while you are asleep.

Also keep your smoke detectors properly maintained! Vacuum the inside using the drapery-cleaning attachment of a vacuum cleaner, once per month. Test them once a week to ensure that the detectors are working properly. Every Spring and Fall when you change your clocks, remember to change your smoke alarm batteries. Use only the type of batteries recommended on the detector.

Even with good upkeep, most smoke detectors have a life span of ten years. Remove the smoke detector after 10 years, follow the manufacturer's directions for disposing of the smoke detector, and replace it with a brand new smoke detector. Some newer smoke detectors have their ten-year anniversary imprinted on the cover; if you are unsure of your smoke detector's age, it is always better to err on the side of safety.

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