The following are helpful safety tips for installing, maintaining and using smoke alarms in your home.
- Protect yourself and your family. The Ontario Fire Code requires that every home have working smoke alarms.
- Smoke alarms save lives. Most fatal fires occur at night when people are asleep. Often, victims never wake up. A working smoke alarm detects smoke and sounds an alarm to alert you, giving you precious time to escape.
- Buy an electrical and battery-operated alarm for your home. Alarms can be both electrically connected and battery powered with a pause feature to reduce nuisance alarms.
- One smoke alarm is not enough. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and near bedrooms. If you or your loved ones sleep with bedroom doors closed, install an alarm inside each bedroom. The Ontario Fire Code requires that every home have working smoke alarms in each sleeping area.
- Because smoke rises, place smoke alarms on the ceiling. If you cannot do this, place them high up on a wall, according to manufacturer's instructions. Avoid places near bathrooms, heating appliances, windows or close to ceiling fans.
- Test your smoke alarms regularly. Once a month, test your smoke alarms using its test button and also using smoke from a smoldering cotton string. Follow your owner's manual.
- Change your clock; change your battery. Install a new battery at least once a year. If the low battery warning beeps, replace the battery immediately. When you change your clocks each spring and fall, change your smoke alarm batteries too.
- Gently vacuum your alarms every six months. Dust can clog a smoke alarm, so carefully vacuum the inside of a battery powered unit using a soft bristle brush. If electrically connected, shut off the power and vacuum the outside vents only. Restore power and test the unit when finished.
- Replace alarms that are more than 10 years old with new ones. You can replace them with long-life smoke alarms that will eliminate the need for annual battery replacement and the potential hazard of dead batteries for up to 10 years.
- Plan your escape. Make sure that everyone knows the sound of the smoke alarm and what to do if a fire occurs. Regularly practice your home fire escape plan. Learn two ways out of every room and have a prearranged meeting place outside. Once outside, stay out and call the fire department from a neighbour's home.
Smoke Alarm Maintenance Agreement For Landlords
If you are a landlord or property owner, you may be interested in having your tenants sign an agreement to maintain their smoke alarms properly. Read our Smoke Alarm Maintenance document (PDF) for additional information.