How Long Do Smoke Detectors Last? – The single most important fire safety feature in any home or other building is a smoke detector. These devices are on duty around the clock and can alert occupants to the presence of even the smallest amount of smoke, and they provide that early warning no matter if occupants are in other parts of the building or even asleep.
They can even be linked together in a network that activates all the alarms even if just one actually picks up smoke. Click here for the Top 10 Best Smoke Detectors.
There are really only two limitations to the reliability of smoke detectors: the availability of power and the age of the unit itself. Power is an obvious need; without a good battery, the detector won’t work. That’s why fire prevention educators all over the world remind families and businesses to replace their batteries every six months. Batteries are important even if the unit is wired into the building’s electrical system because the battery provides a backup should the electrical system fail or lose power.
The other limitation is what we’ll focus on today. Smoke detectors don’t have any moving parts and don’t appear to wear out, so many people wonder just how long their detectors can be used. So how long do smoke detectors last?
Let’s begin by looking into the operation of a smoke detector. The unit may work with one of two different technologies. The photoelectric type works by monitoring constantly for the presence of airborne particles by shining a tiny beam of light inside a chamber. If particles obstruct that light, the detector sounds the alarm. Over time, the circuitry that operates that light can become less reliable. If the light isn’t there, the detector may provide a false alarm or, more dangerously, it may not activate when there is smoke present. Sensitivity may decrease, requiring a thicker and more dangerous quantity of smoke for the unit to activate.
Of course, all of this is powered by the electricity provided by either the building’s wiring system or by those familiar 9-volt batteries. As we’ve noted, the delicate photoelectric system is on duty around the clock. The tiny circuit boards and contact points that keep the electricity going where it needs to go can only last so long. If they become brittle or corroded, the detector can no longer be expected to work properly.
The other type uses an ionization system. The science is a little complicated, but the short version of it is that a tiny amount of radioactive material is used to detect smoke. If you know anything about radioactive material, you know that it breaks down over time. Over time, the deteriorating material becomes less effective at detecting smoke.
Whether it’s through the slow decline of electrical components or the wasting away of vital radioactive material, smoke detectors eventually do degrade to a point at which they are no longer reliable. When you’re talking about a device that protects human life, you need to know just how long it takes to reach that point. It’s important to err on the side of caution and take a conservative estimate at the lifespan of smoke detectors. So what is that figure?
The National Fire Protection Association recommends replacing detectors every ten years. You may have older units that have worked far beyond that age, but remember that we’re aiming for the highest likelihood that the detector will work when something happens. If your detectors are over ten years old, replace them right away and consider yourself lucky that you haven’t had a problem.
Of course, age is not the only factor. Like any product, smoke detectors can malfunction and leave you at risk of a detector failure. You may also not have accurate information–or any information–about the age of the detector.
Let’s start with determining the age of the detector. After all, if you don’t know when it was made, how will you know when it’s too old? A smoke detector should have a label that shows the manufacture date. Remember, that date is what counts, not the date when you installed the unit. Check the manufacture date on each of your detectors, and promptly replace any that have exceeded ten years of age. If the label is small or hard to access, you might want to write the date with a marker on the inside of the lid. It might also be helpful simply to make a list of each detector with its location and date, then to review that list from time to time and be ready to replace them as their time runs out.
If there is no label or the label is illegible, don’t take any chances. Replace any detector of an undetermined age. The small cost of a new one is well worth it if it helps keep your family or co-workers safe. If the detector is part of a networked system with other smoke detectors, replace them all at the same time.
Another issue is malfunctions. A detector should remain silent except when the battery is low or when smoke has been detected. Any other activation could be a sign of a circuitry failure or that the smoke detector has reached the end of its life span. If fresh batteries don’t silence the detector, it needs to be replaced.
The protection provided by a smoke detector is only in place if the detector is functional. That means it must have fresh batteries and be in good working order. In addition to the possibility that the detector has simply broken down, there is also the possibility that it has gotten too old and is no longer reliable.
Smoke detectors are an essential part of protecting human life in homes, businesses, and all kinds of buildings. Knowing the expected life span of the smoke detectors where you live or work is vital to providing the maximum protection to everyone inside. Check out each smoke detector and replace each one that is outdated or nonfunctional. That small investment could save lives.