Have you taken the smoke detector test?

Have you taken the smoke detector test?
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby NOW assistant editor
Published Sept. 18, 2002

As fire prevention weeks come ever closer, officials with the Burnaby Fire Department want to remind the public about the importance of having a correctly installed and functioning smoke detector.
A CSA-approved smoke alarm can be the most important safety feature in your home, in the event of a fire. But if it's installed in the wrong place, it may not do the the intended job.
Make sure you know the following safety tips for installing and maintaining your home's smoke alarms:
1 - Install smoke alarm on every floor of the home, including the basement, and make sure alarms are in or near each sleeping area;
2 - Because smoke always rises, mount your smoke alarms high up on the wall, or on the ceiling itself, at least four to 12 inches away from the nearest wall;
3 - Do not install smoke alarms near windows, outside doors or ducts where drafts may interfere with their operation;
4 - Never paint or put wallpaper over a smoke detector;
5 - Replace the batteries in smoke alarms twice each year (most families do this on the same day they change their clocks from daylight savings time, which is on Oct. 27 this year);
6 - Remember to regularly vacuum or dust your smoke alarm to ensure it can continue working properly;
7 - Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old. New technology provides much better safety;
8 - Never 'borrow' the battery from a smoke alarm for use in other household appliances. (The convenience of changing the TV channels is never more important than the safety of your family.);
9 - Make sure everyone in your family recognizes the sound of a smoke alarm, and knows how to react when they hear it.
And don't forget to take part in the Heights on the Run fundraising event in north Burnaby this week to raise money for the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Association. For more information on the 10 km run or 5 km walk, visit the Web site www.burnabyheights.com.
QUESTIONS
1 - How often should you replace the batteries in a smoke alarm?
2 - Does smoke rise or fall?
3 - How old should a smoke alarm be before it is replaced entirely?