Smoke detectors (also known as smoke alarms) are the cheapest form of life insurance available.
The Fort Worth Fire Department recommends that you install at least one smoke detector on every level of your home. Even better is one in every bedroom. Smoke detectors are designed to wake you up if a fire starts while you are sleeping.
Maintenance
Test
When was the last time you heard the alarm sound on your smoke detector? Battery-operated detectors should be tested once a month to make certain they are working.
Change battery and clean unit
You should replace the battery in each smoke detector at least once a year. A good way to remember this is, “change your clocks - change your batteries.” This slogan is used by the fire service nationally to provide an easy reminder to change the detector battery each time you adjust your clocks for Daylight Savings Time.
When you change your battery, take to clean the unit. Use the soft brush cleaning attachment that is part of most vacuum cleaners.
Replace
It is now recommended that smoke detectors be replaced every ten years. After ten yours a smoke detector has worked continuously for over 87,000 hours. If you do not know how old your smoke detector is, or if it is known to be at least ten years old, replace it with a new unit as soon as possible.
Renters
Whether you live in a rented house or an apartment, your landlord is required by city ordinance to provide you with a working smoke detector. However, once installed and/or verified that the detector is working correctly, it then becomes the responsiblity of the tenant for maintaining the unit in working order.