Play, but play it safe!

It's almost the 4th of July, and that means fireworks, bonfires, and partying.  I'm just gonna get this over with and be a huge downer here... Unfortunately, those fireworks mean the potential for house fires.  So, listen up!  And then I promise to post something FUN!

Our modular home came wired for smoke detectors in every room, including the basement.  When one detector goes off, all of the detectors in the house go off, which is, well, alarming, and very loud!  But that's what we want - my husband is a fire fighter, and so, we get a little freaked out about house fires.   It's scary to think about 2/3 of house fires happen where the home did not have working smoke detectors.  You need to have working alarms in each bedroom and in living areas. Carbon monoxide and smoke detection combination alarms are best, but are especially necessary in the basement.

You should test your existing detectors every year.   If your current smoke alarm is "chirping" that means it needs a new battery.  If you don't notice any chirping, you still need to test your alarms - just press the center button until the alarm sounds. If it sounds, your alarm is functioning properly. If it doesn't, change the battery. If you change the battery and it still doesn't work, you need a new smoke detector.

If you don't have your house wired for the smoke detectors, you can use battery powered smoke alarms.  (I got an email today that Amazon is having a sale on the combination alarms at $21.75, which is a HUGE savings. I've put a link to the alarms - on the right - if you are interested. These alarms have a high rating and are on sale for a fraction of the normal price.)

So with the 4th of July right around the corner, fireworks and bonfires coming up, please play it safe and make sure either your current alarms are working, or buy new working alarms.

Okay, lecture over.  :-)