Tips to prepare your home for the unexpected

(NC) While spending more time at home, it’s critical that you take the necessary steps to help ensure your family is prepared in the event a home fire or carbon monoxide (CO) leak occurs.

CO is the number one cause of accidental poisoning in Canada and, according to the Canadian National Fire Information Database, 80 per cent of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Make sure your home is ready for anything with the following tips and tools.

Alarm your home. Most of us are under-protected and unprepared when it comes to fire and carbon monoxide safety, according to a nationwide survey conducted by First Alert. Even if you have smoke and CO alarms, you may not be sufficiently protected if you don’t have enough alarms throughout your entire home. The National Fire Protection Association recommends installing alarms on every level of the home, inside every bedroom and outside each sleeping area.

Test, maintain and replace. In addition to installing alarms, proper alarm placement, regular maintenance and replacement are essential for protecting your family and home. Test alarms regularly and change the batteries every six months. To make battery replacements a thing of the past, upgrade to 10-year sealed battery alarms, which eliminate low-battery chirps and battery replacements for a decade. Also, if you can’t remember the last time you installed an alarm, chances are it’s time for a new one. Alarms need to be replaced at least every 10 years.

Double up on safety. While many homeowners know the importance of protecting their property from the threats of smoke and fire, studies show that fewer households are equipped with CO alarms.  Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odourless gas that is responsible for an average of 300 deaths each year, and it’s impossible to detect without an alarm. For ultimate home safety, install alarms for two-in-one protection, such as combination smoke and CO alarms from First Alert that are equipped with 10-year sealed batteries for long-lasting protection.