Do you have enough smoke detectors to pass your fire inspection?
When we were seeking our license to become foster parents, one of the requirements is to pass a “FIRE INSPECTION.” Fortunately, Texas lays out the requirements directly in the foster home and State Fire Marshal rules.
However, many states don’t specify the requirements for smoke detectors — you have to rely on finding these yourself or scheduling the fire inspection only to discover that you need another smoke detector.
For a fire inspection, the State of Texas requires working smoke detectors:
- In every sleeping room;
- In the hallway near sleeping rooms;
- At the top of stairs in two-story homes (in addition to sleeping rooms).
The State Fire Marshal rules also state:
“Batteries shall be changed at least annually. Statistics show about one-third of the smoke detectors installed in homes are inoperative. When detectors are non-operational, the usual reason is dead or missing batteries.”
You can find other state fire marshal requirements for smoke detectors here.
Energizer®, in partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), strives to keep families safe through the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® program (CYCCYB).
Households with non-working smoke alarms now outnumber those with no smoke alarms. (mostly due to dead batteries)
On Daylight Savings Time when you are already changing your clocks in your home — be sure to change and test the batteries in all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
