What’s your New Year’s Resolution? Why not make it making your home and family safer by testing your smoke alarm?
You’re eight times more likely to be killed if there are no working smoking alarms in the house. Smoke alarms provide an early warning, and can be vital for ensuring your safety if there were to be a fire.
According to a 2017 study by Which?, only four percent of respondents test their smoke alarms weekly, with two percent never checking theirs. This could mean that their smoke alarms don’t work, without them being aware of it. If a fire were to happen, they may lose vital time to escape.
To help prevent this, you can:
- Test the batteries in your smoke alarm once a week.
- Change the batteries once a year (unless it is a 10-year alarm).
- Gently vacuum it to remove dust twice a year.
- You should replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.
Neil Carter, Group Manager, said: “It’s so important that people test their smoke alarms regularly. Having a fully functioning smoke alarm can give people enough warning about a fire in the home and can mean the difference between life and death. Testing smoke alarms only takes a few seconds but can really make a difference. Also, take the time to check smoke alarms belonging to elderly friends and relatives who may be at a greater risk of fire and unable to test them themselves.
“We run Home Fire Safety Checks for the elderly and vulnerable in Berkshire, so we can help to make sure our residents are safe from fire and other potential risks. You can visit our website to find out if you’re eligible.”