Happy Thursday!!

This week’s blog is about the new smoke alarm law that will go into effect on Monday, April 1, 2019.  Having a functioning smoke alarm cuts the chances of fatalities in a reported fire in half!!

Homeowners and landlords will have no choice but to swap out their smoke detectors for upgraded 10-year sealed models when it's time to replace that 10 year old smoke alarm.  That means less non-functional smoke detectors and more early warnings when a fire breaks out. It’s no wonder that this law is being praised by the Fireman’s Association of the State of New York for helping to keep people safe in their homes.

The law says that starting April 1, 2019 all businesses must sell smoke detectors that are either a 10-year, sealed, non-removable battery or hardwired detector.

These 10-year smoke detectors have a larger upfront cost than traditional alarms powered by replaceable batteries, however, the lack of yearly battery changes makes them cheaper over the life of the device.

The smoke detectors run about $20, but the Red Cross is running a Long Island Home Fire Campaign in which they are installing 100,000 alarms in home for free.   The benefit of these sealed units is that you can’t accidentally take the battery out and forget to replace it.

Like all safety alarms, 10-year sealed smoke alarms should still be tested at least once each year using the button on the front of the unit to ensure they are working properly.

Please keep in mind that all smoke detector units, both with and without replaceable batteries should be replaced after 10 years. Detectors with sealed battery compartments and 10-year lifespans ensure detectors are removed and replaced once they become outdated.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy week.