CHECK, TEST, MAINTAIN

Once you’ve purchased a smoke or fire alarm from a reputable brand and installed it correctly (see oafc.on.ca/smoke-alarms), you must make sure it’s in perfect working order regularly. 1 Gently vacuum the alarms every six months (if they are hard-wired, turn off the power first).

2 Replace the batteries with fresh ones in the spring and fall.

3 Test the alarms weekly, per the manufacturers’ instructions.

4 Replace the alarm every 10 years ( OAFC).