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Overview
Installing smoke alarms is one of the best ways to ensure the safety of your household. All you have to do is head to a hardware store, buy the alarm units, install them with a screwdriver and test them once a month.
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Step 1
Make sure you have smoke alarms on every floor. Follow the instructions that come with the smoke alarms and install them on the ceiling or high enough on the walls for maximum effectiveness. -
Step 2
Protect yourself while you sleep. Fires often start in the wee hours when nobody is awake to notice, so it's a good idea to have smoke alarms in bedrooms as well as in adjoining halls or other rooms. -
Step 3
Install a smoke alarm in the kitchen. Choose one with a silence button or hush feature so it doesn't go on wailing every time you fry something. -
Step 4
Install smoke alarms in the garage and in the room that houses your furnace.
- Skill: Easy
- Tip: If money is tight, call the fire department and ask whether free smoke alarms are available.
- Tip: You can install battery-operated smoke alarms yourself, but call an electrician if your smoke alarms are connected to your electrical system.
- Tip: In addition to smoke alarms, safety experts recommend installing carbon monoxide alarms on every floor of your home. Also, keep fire extinguishers in your garage and kitchen.
