Today is a good day to replace the batteries of your home's smoke detectors!

The most important task of a smoke detector is to detect an incipient fire and alert the occupants inside as early as possible. This requires that your home always has the necessary number of operational smoke detectors, i.e., at least one for every 60 square meters of each floor of the residence.

The correct place for a smoke detector is on the ceiling, at least half a meter away from the corners. A properly placed smoke detector should be found in every bedroom and along the escape routes through which you can exit the residence. In the kitchen and in dusty or humid spaces, the alarm may react unnecessarily, so it is not advisable to place them in such locations.

Keep the smoke detector in working order

The resident is always responsible for keeping smoke detectors in working order regardless of who has purchased it. With these actions, you can easily ensure that the smoke detectors function daily as expected:

• Test the operation of the smoke detectors once a month and whenever you have been away from home for longer.
• Replace the batteries of all smoke detectors at least once a year, for example, on the Nordic smoke alarm day, 1 December.
• If the smoke detector starts beeping intermittently, replace the battery immediately.
• If the smoke detector does not work even after replacing the battery, replace the smoke detector with a new one.
• Mains-operated smoke detectors also have a battery, which is replaced by the maintenance company (please contact the maintenance company of your building). 
• Replace the smoke detectors in your home with new ones every 5–10 years.

*Source: paloturvallisuusviikko.fi  (in Finnish)