Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. The clocks spring forward and we “lose” an hour of sleep. In past years, you would have been wandering around the house changing the time on clocks, microwaves and DVD players. But nowadays, most of our digital devices automatically adjust and we might only find one stray appliance that needs to be changed manually. Take the time you used to spend winding clocks and start a new routine — checking smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries.
According to the City of Ottawa, almost half of preventable fatal fires had no working smoke alarm. In 67% of those cases, an alarm didn’t work because batteries weren’t installed in the unit or they were dead. Many times, smoke alarms emit a repetitive beep to indicate batteries are low. The incessant noise drives people to take out the batteries to stop the noise, rather than replace them. The smoke alarm is then forgotten and the batteries may never be replaced.
Team Harding is proud to support the “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” campaign. Be proactive and replace batteries before they disturb you in the middle of the night with a low battery indicator. When Daylight Saving Time begins, take a minute to change your smoke alarm and CO detector batteries. Changing your batteries twice a year will give your family valuable warning time in the event of a fire emergency.
In addition to changing the batteries, follow the City of Ottawa’s other smoke alarm tips:
- Smoke alarms should be tested monthly using the device’s “test” button.
- Alarms have limited lifespans. If you think yours is more than 10 years old, replace it with a new one.
- Dust can easily clog a smoke alarm and render it ineffective. Make a point to clean smoke alarms regularly with a soft brush vacuum.
Harding Heating & Air Conditioning has been the Ottawa Region’s most trusted home comfort provider for over 24 years. We want you and your family to stay safe and we hope you’ll incorporate changing batteries into your Daylight Saving Time routine each year.
Contact us today with any questions you have, we’re always happy to help.
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Updated: March 2020
