How Often Should You Change Smoke Alarm Batteries?

2/28/2020 (Permalink)

Replace the batteries of your smoke alarm every ten years

How often should you change the batteries in your smoke alarm? It's a common question from Oklahoma City, OK, homeowners who are concerned with protecting their families and homes from fire damage. The standard answer is twice a year. A good way to remember is to swap out the old batteries when daylight savings begins and ends.

Is It Really Necessary To Replace Batteries Twice a Year?

Although, there isn't much power drawn from day to day, the consistent, low draw of power does affect how much juice is available when an emergency occurs. Even if the alarms haven't sounded at all, you still need fresh batteries to be confident that you'll get a robust alarm in the event of a fire. Here are some tips for getting the best batteries for your smoke detector:


Check the alarm to determine the appropriate type of batteries. Many alarms take 9-volt alkaline, but some require AA. Experts recommend avoiding rechargeable or lithium batteries for alarms; both lose their charges quickly.
Invest in brand name batteries. Off-brand products aren't always as reliable as their competition. When it comes to keeping your family safe, invest in dependability.
If you aren't sure that your batteries are fresh, buy new ones. You can run a few tests to see if batteries are old: Drained batteries are bouncy when you drop them. A multimeter or voltmeter tells you how many amps or ohms are in each battery.


When it comes to keeping your family safe, it's better to invest a little extra time and money in keeping your smoke alarm running. Compared to the costs of paying fire damage cleanup and repair professionals, it's a minimal investment.

When Should You Replace the Alarm?

In addition to changing batteries, you should also keep track of how old the alarm itself is. Modern alarms are long-lasting and only need to be replaced every ten years. A good way to remember whether it's time to replace an old alarm is to write the date of manufacture on the front where you can see it. This way, you'll see the replacement date every month when you test the smoke alarm and every six months when you replace the batteries.