As we move into the heating season, you’ll need to rely on equipment that could put your home at risk for fires and other safety issues. While a heating system maintenance visit and proper use and care help to prevent this from happening, you never know what can happen. You’ll need to make sure that you have the right detection and extinguishing equipment around, just in case.
How to Check Your Fire Extinguisher
Hopefully, you have a fire extinguisher somewhere in the home. This can save your life and your home! If you’re not sure where it is, take a look around (try under the sink). And if you don’t have one, make the investment in your safety.
If you have one, you should ensure that it’s accessible and properly pressurized.
- Take it off its mount to make sure it’s easily removed.
- Make sure the tamper seal and locking pin are intact.
- Check to see that the pressure gauge lines up where it is supposed to.
How to Check Your Smoke Alarm
Just as important as having a tool to extinguish fires is having equipment to alert you to smoke and fire in the first place. You should check to see that your smoke alarms are working correctly about once a month. And you should replace the batteries about every 6 months.
When you’re testing your smoke alarms, take any necessary safety precautions. If you have to stand on a ladder, for example, you should have someone there to spot you or help you out.
Test and hold the test button on the front of the smoke detector. After a second or two, you should hear a very loud siren. If it’s not loud enough to hear across the home, you either need new batteries or a new smoke alarm (which have a lifespan of about 10 years).
Don’t waste your time with the run-around. Give Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. a call for services and helpful advice in Aztec, NM and let us do it right the first time!