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Home › Articles › Home Safety Issues › Home Safe Home

Home Safe Home

Safety Devices New Parents Sometimes Overlook

By Mary Dixon Lebeau

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First, remove the cover from the unit and hold the base against the place where you want to install it. Mark the mounting holes with a pencil, then drill pilot holes where you made the markings. Then attach the base with the screws that are included with the detector. If the detector is battery-operated, place a fresh battery in place before snapping the cover on. If it is an electrical unit, plug the detector in immediately.

Of course, you'll want to assure that you did the job right, so test the unit immediately following installation. Push the test button and listen for the alarm. You should test your alarms on a monthly basis to assure that the battery is good and that the unit is in proper working order. Most battery-powered detectors let you know if the battery is low by "chirping." If you hear this warning, make sure you replace the batteries immediately. However, even if there is no "chirp," be sure to check your alarms every month.

Once installed, fire detectors need to be cleaned and maintained regularly as per the manufacturer's instructions. Never paint any part of a unit. Most smoke detectors have a 10-year lifespan, so be sure to replace them accordingly, which means buying new ones when this baby is 9 years old (it will come quicker than you think!).

Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Another safety device that should be installed before Baby arrives is a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is odorless and invisible, but at high levels it can kill a person within minutes. Although proper use and maintenance of fuel-burning appliances is the most important way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, the installation of a detection unit is a recommended as a backup method of protection.


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