Sparkys NOW | Smoke Alarm Installation and Testing Services

Why Smoke Alarm Testing and Replacement is Important

We at Sparkys Now know the importance of having a yearly Smoke Alarm Battery replacement routine. Usually at the start of daylight savings, we all turn our clocks back, then pull out the step ladder and do the precarious high wire dance whilst struggling to get the rotten alarm open. And even though we somehow pulled this frustrating task off the year before, it still takes ten minutes to figure out how to open the damn thing again. And again we make a conscious effort to remember for next year… but fail to do so. But on a serious note, there’s more to smoke alarm maintenance than most people realise. Along with our yearly struggle to change the batteries, we have an obligation to replace the actual smoke alarm every ten years. You read that right. Your smoke alarms have a serviceable lifespan of ten years, after which they need to be replaced. The smoke detectors on your ceiling are subject to dust, insects and airborne particles, and if your internal walls have been painted in that ten-year service life, this also adds to the degradation of the internal sensor via paint fumes and particles. Below we have listed links to reputable websites that are a great reference for smoke alarm maintenance and replacement guides.

• Victorian CFA
• Government of West Australian Fire and Emergency Services

Smoke alarms save lives… no if’s or but’s. And the ramifications of not maintaining and replacing them when they are beyond their serviceable lifespan go way beyond the fact that your insurance company may have grounds to deny a claim based on your neglect of maintenance requirements as per your policy.