There’s no denying that smoke alarms save lives, helping to alert occupants in a building of a fire so they can get out early. However, many people neglect to maintain their smoke alarms over time, which can lead to various issues. To help you understand the importance of having a working smoke alarm in your building at all time, here are four reasons why it’s essential to maintain your smoke alarms over time.
Protect You and Other Occupants
Ultimately, the role of your smoke alarms is to alert you and other occupants of a fire, whether it be your family at your house or your employees at your commercial premises. Well maintained smoke alarms give you the highest possible chance of being alerted to a fire early on while it’s still possible to evacuate the building safely. Any local electrician in Melbourne will be able to help you maintain your smoke alarms so they’ll work as intended in the case of a fire, ensuring everyone gets out safely in a prompt manner.
Comply with Insurance Requirements
Many residential and commercial building insurance policies stipulate that working smoke alarms must be installed at all times. This is because when a fire is detected early enough, action can be taken sooner to prevent it from spreading and engulfing the entire building. If you don’t have a working smoke alarm and the fire is able to spread undetected because of this, an insurance company is likely to point the finger of blame at you, meaning they’re unlikely to pay any money out on your claim. To avoid this, ensure your smoke alarms are maintained regularly by a professional who can change the battery and identify any problems that may be present.
Save Money on Complete Replacement
When a smoke alarm is neglected for years without being looked at by a professional, it can develop certain problems that necessitate complete replacement, such as dust getting inside the casing, or batteries corroding and causing damage. By maintaining your smoke alarms over time, you can prevent these problems from occurring and save money on having to completely replace your smoke alarms. Paying for a new battery and a service once a year is a small price to pay compared to the price of replacing a smoke alarm completely.
Identify Issues You Might Not Be Aware Of
With smoke alarms, sometimes it can be hard to tell if they’re working as intended until it is too late. You might think it’s doing its job, but how do you know for sure? During smoke alarm maintenance, a local electrician in Melbourne will test the smoke alarm to see if it’s working properly. If it fails to sound, they’ll then work to identify the issue – which could be anything from a flat battery to a faulty component. It’s important to note that you can test your smoke alarm yourself by pressing the test button on it, but it’s best to call an electrician if the alarm doesn’t sound.