This post is brought to you by Kidde. All opinions are my own.
If you’re a Florida resident you may want to take note of a new law that recently took effect regarding smoke alarms. As of January 1, 2015, Florida homeowners must install 10-year, sealed-battery smoke alarms when replacing outdated or non-working alarms or installing new ones.
Do you even know when you last changed your smoke alarm(s)?
I know the exact date we changed ours because we replaced our entire house with Kidde Worry-Free sealed-battery smoke alarms just last year (you write the date installed right on the unit!). This was before the new law came into effect, but now that it’s here I’m so glad we made the switch.
Every smoke alarm, regardless of brand, has a 10-year lifespan. The main difference between Kidde Worry-Free sealed-battery smoke alarms and other smoke alarms are the batteries are sealed inside and do not need to be replaced … ever! After 10 years, the alarm will indicate it is time for replacement – making them truly worry-free!
Just last year there were 114 residential fire deaths in Florida. Of those incidents, 43% of the homes did not have alarms or working smoke alarms. Missing or disconnected batteries are a main reason smoke alarms fail to operate in residential fires.
A recent survey conducted on behalf of Kidde ranked late-night low-battery chirps as the top smoke alarm annoyance, with 40% of respondents opting to either disconnect the alarm or wait a day or more to replace the battery. A long-life battery sealed inside an alarm makes it virtually tamper-proof and reduces the risk associated with disabling the alarm.
Benefits of Worry Free Smoke Alarms
- It’s Always On: 24 hr/day, 7 day/week protection from smoke and fire
- Decade of protection: sealed lithium battery provides 10 years of continuous power
- Maintenance-free, hassle-free: never replace a battery during the alarm’s operating life and no need to worry about the batteries being removed
- Goodbye late night low battery chirps: an end-of-life chirp tells you when it’s time to replace the alarm
- Location-based attributes make it simple to select the right alarm for the right location in your home
- Money savings: no batteries to buy and replace every six months, save up to $40 over the life of the alarm
- Quick and easy installation: simply twist the alarm onto the mounting bracket and it activates
Ten-year sealed-battery smoke alarms, such as Kidde’s Worry-Free line, are available at home improvement retailers and online and cost between $25 and $50. By making the switch, you can save up to $40 in battery costs over the life of one alarm. In addition, the alarms contain location-based features, such as an LED light for the hallway model.
