Spring forward on the right foot this weekend
March 7, 2019
The meteorological first day of spring has come and gone, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, and yet most of Minnesota is still buried under several inches of snow. No, spring may not be springing just yet, but at least you’ll have a little more daylight after you change your clocks for Daylight Saving Time this weekend.
As long as you’re running around the house changing clocks, you might as well grab a handful of batteries for your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. In the same way that a car isn’t useful to you if it’s rusting out in your garage, or your cell phone won’t do you much good without a signal, a smoke and CO alarm can only save your life if it works.
That means changing the batteries twice a year (might as well do it when we change the clocks; very few other things happen every six months). Once you’re done changing the clocks and the smoke and CO alarm batteries, gather your family and practice your escape plan. That’s a good opportunity to make sure none of your home’s exits are blocked by snow.
Changing the batteries isn’t the only upkeep your smoke and CO alarms need, though. You still need to test them monthly. Also take note of the manufacture date on the back. If your smoke alarm is more than 10 years old, replace it; same with a CO alarm if it is five to seven years old.
If you’re thinking this all sounds inconvenient, it’s nothing compared to dying in a fire. And a working smoke alarm can cut that risk in half. It makes sense: Fires double in size every minute, so by the time you smell smoke or feel heat, it may be too late. A smoke alarm can buy you the precious seconds you and your family need to escape a burning home. Just ask Karen Hubert and her granddaughter Morgan. The Paynesville residents know better than most the importance of a working smoke alarm. They share their story in this video.
So even though springing forward is this only spring we’re getting so far, it’s still a great time to change the batteries in your smoke and CO alarms. That way, when spring really does roll around, you’ll be ready to enjoy all it brings with a little more peace of mind.
