bearisgray

Check yours to make sure they are working.

I created a HUGE cloud of smoke while cooking tonight - and it did not make a sound.

NJ Quilter

Yes, they do go 'bad'. Being married to a firefighter - non-working smoke alarms is not an option in our house. In fact, ended up purchasing 3 different ones before getting one that works in our bedroom recently.

Can I tell you what it's like going to a hotel with this man???

tessagin

Smoke detectors weren't working when 2 young children lost their lives in Corpus Christi in the last week. We bought extra batteries and Carbon monoxide detectors also.

Tartan

Smoke detectors on all levels and carbon monoxide detectors also.

Chasing Hawk

Our house has the smoke alarms hard wired into the house. I set the one off in my sewing room once while using my steam press iron.

NJ Quilter

Ours are hard-wired as well but still need checking and replacing periodically. Basic rule of thumb...check monthly and replace batteries when you change your clocks.

sparkys_mom

I replaced my carbon monoxide and smoke detectors last year with new ones that have 10 year batteries. Then I sold my condo and moved.

ManiacQuilter2

I have numerous ones in my apt. One is run on battery and the other have a flashing green light and are tested twice a year by management.

ladydukes

We live in WA state, and the county (or state) requirement is that fire alarms have to be hard-wired with battery backup if your house is newer than a certain age. The ceiling in our great room is almost 20 ft. tall. When we had ceiling fans installed, I begged my husband to have that particular fire alarm lowered so that it would be in a more reachable area, but he didn't want to have it moved. Therefore, when the battery goes out, we have to use a Genie lift to get to it because of the location. We can't lean a ladder against a wall to get to it. Hence, last time the battery went out, we replaced it with a 10-year battery. Hopefully it will last that long! My husband is Mr. Preventive Maintenance, so he makes sure all of our batteries are in and working. With the alarms being hard-wired, we have to keep working batteries in them or they will continue alarming until the battery is replaced.

Snooze2978

I have one on each floor with the one in the basement hot wired with a battery backup. Mine will scream at me when the battery is going out. What's funny is when one goes out I know for a fact the other one upstairs will be screaming at me within a day to a week from the other one.

When I bought this house it didn't have any which I thought was manditory these days to even sell your house. 1st thing I had installed though were smoke and carbon dioxide monitors as I have gas in this house and this house is older than the hils so a fire ready to happen. All my neighbors know to get the cat out if ever there's a fire when I'm not home. The rest can be replaced but not my little buddy Pepper.