Posted March 7, 2020

Happy Spring Forward weekend! The time change is a great reminder to replace the batteries in both your CO and smoke alarms. Some other important things to check:

1. If your CO alarm has a manufacturing date of 2013 or earlier, it’s time to toss it out and get a new one (smoke alarms have a 10-year lifespan)

2. Make sure you have alarms that are marked “UL Listed” – this means they meet U.S. safety standards (always look for this when you buy, especially when purchasing online)

3. Press the “test” button to make sure the alarm is working (CO alarms alert in a 4-beep pattern, smoke alarms alert in a 3-beep pattern)

Have your kids help you and explain to them what you are doing so if there’s ever an emergency and you’re not there to help them, they’ll know what the alarms sound like and what to do if they ever hear them going off. Download an easy to read CO alarm guide at https://thejenkinsfoundation.com/alarms/