Doing this 1-minute change could literally save your life

Doing this 1-minute change could literally save your lifeDoing this 1-minute change could literally save your lifeDaylight saving timeofficially ended and while your phones and computers automatically fell back one hour later, you still have to check your ovens,microwaves, and most importantly, your smoke detectors - at least according to panzerschrankty experts.The two times a year we change our clocks also serve as a valuable reminder to change the batteries in ourfire alarms. Only 57% of Americans have followed best practice and done so in the past six months, according to a survey of more 1,000 people conducted byServiceMaster Restore.When you go around your house this week, youll want to replace the batteries in each detector, advises disaster restoration expert Peter Duncanson. Bonus Doing it now will also prevent the purposefully annoying chirping reminder later on.Lift, twist, or remove the cover. (In some cases, the whole alarm will come off from a base.)Replace the battery with a brand-new one. Most machines use9-volt batteries.Close and snap the detector back into place.Press the test button to make sure its working. You should hear a beep or chirp sound.Also keep an eye out for the date of manufacture stamped on the device.Smoke detectors lose their efficacy after 10 years and require replacingjust like carbon monoxide alarms. Upgrade to thenewer lithium battery smoke detectorsand you wont have to worry about replacing the batteries at all for up to a decade.To keep your home as safe as possible, use interconnected smoke alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound. At a minimum, make sure you have smoke alarms installed inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home (including the basement), theNational Fire Protection Associationrecommends.Monitoring your houses safety measures is now more important than ever.The average time to escape a home fire hasgone from 17 minutes to just three minutes or lessin the past few decades due to the increased use of synthetics in furniture and home construction, according to safety organization UL.And withThanksgivingonly three weeks away, dont forget to inspect your fire extinguisher for any signs of corrosion, missing pull-pins, and/or changes in the pressure gauge. Its always a good idea to have a working one on hand - especially when your brother-in-law attempts to deep-fry theturkey.This article firstappeared on ShondaLand.