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As of March 1, 2006 every home in Ontario must have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. Homeowners: It is the responsibility of homeowners to install and maintain smoke alarms on every storey of their home and outside sleeping areas. Landlords: It is the responsibility of landlords to ensure their rental properties comply with the law. Tenants: If you are a tenant of a rental property and do not have the required number of smoke alarms, contact your landlord immediately. It is against the law for tenants to remove the batteries or tamper with the alarm in any way. Failure to comply with the fire code smoke alarm requirements could result in a fine of up to $50,000 for individuals or $100,000 for corporations. When installing smoke alarms, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for information about correct placement, testing and maintenance. Test your smoke alarms every month using the test button. Replace smoke alarm batteries at least once a year and whenever the low-battery warning chirps. Replace smoke alarms with new ones if they are more than ten years old. Cooking or steam from a shower can cause smoke alarms to activate. DO NOT REMOVE THE BATTERY. Instead, try moving the alarm to a different location or purchase a smoke alarm with a hush feature that will temporarily silence the alarm. ---- Residential smoke alarms will wake you in time to escape, if a fire starts in your home. The majority of fatal residential fires happen at night and the smell of smoke does not always wake you. Recent changes to the Ontario Fire Code now require residential smoke alarms to be installed on every floor of your residence and outside all sleeping areas. Caution should be used to avoid areas with cooking vapors, steam and other fumes. This will avoid many nuisance alarms. The LaSalle Fire Department will assist you be inspecting your home and recommend corrective action as well as free of charge assistance with Smoke Alarm Tests, Battery Replacement and Installation of a Smoke Alarm if required Most fire deaths and injuries are caused by smoke and gases. This means your survival depends on being warned as early as possible. Smoke Alarms are the safest, early warning method. A properly maintained Smoke Alarm can drastically improve your chances of survival in a home fire. Test it monthly. Battery operated units are the easiest to install. They are sold with a battery that lasts about a year. Be sure that any unit you buy has been approved by the Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada. Locations: Because smoke rises, Smoke Alarms should be located on the ceiling, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Smoke alarms should be located on each storey, including the basement:
Smoke Alarm Care Your residential alarm(s) should be tested; once a month, simply by pushing the “Test Button” to ensure the smoke alarm works. Replace the battery at least once a year or when your alarm is “chirping” to indicate that the battery is low. The correct battery type is marked inside the smoke alarm. Vacuum your smoke alarm every six months (remove power, if electrically connected). Use a soft brush attachment avoiding contact between the nozzle and the smoke alarm. Press the test button (to test the alarm function) on a weekly basis. Check to see if the battery is in place, connected and not corroded. Replace smoke alarms that are over ten years old. An intermittently beeping smoke alarm means the battery needs replacing. Use batteries of the proper type and never use rechargeable batteries in a smoke alarm. Most Hydro powered smoke alarms have a power-on indicator light. Check to see that it is illuminated. A Smoke Alarm is the cheapest and most effective life insurance. Your entire family will sleep better with no regrets. If you require more information or need any assistance please call the LaSalle Fire Service at 966-0744 .
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