Do smart smoke detectors expire?

Smart smoke detectors are a bit more expensive than their “dumb” counterparts, so it’s only natural for people to consider their lifespan and replacement costs. Here’s what you need to know about the lifespan of smoke alarms.

It’s a trick question: all smoke alarms expire

The title of this article “Do Smart Smoke Alarms Expire?” It’s a trick question. All smoke alarms “time out” in the sense that they become less accurate over time and need to be replaced.

Materials in the smoke alarm sensor degrade, particles build up over time on the sensors, and slow corrosion of the contacts and electrical components within the alarm can cause false alarms (or no alarm at all).

So that old yellowish smoke alarm I might it will still sound an alarm if you lit a match directly below it, but its ability to detect smoke particles from a fire across the room is probably diminished or non-existent.

Worse yet, the phantom chirps and false alarms that plague older smoke alarms often lead people to pull out the battery, then forget to replace the battery or install a new smoke alarm. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in almost half of the cases where smoke detectors were present but did not go off, the cause of the failure was a missing battery.

Home fires spread quickly and every second counts when it comes to getting out safely and containing the fire. That’s exactly why both the manufacturers and the NFPA recommend that you replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years (or sooner if recommended by the manufacturer).

Smart smoke detectors force your hand

Despite the strong stance on the issue from smoke detector manufacturers and the NFPA, many people are surprised to learn that smoke detectors expire.

The main reason for this surprise is that unless you read the fine print when you buy your smoke alarm or enjoy reading NFPA safety reports, it’s easy to miss. Even if you do both, it’s very easy to forget and not replace your smoke detector.

Unlike dumb alarms that usually have no idea when they were made and rely on you to change them, smart alarms have the ability to track time and alert you when they expire. This gives the smoke alarm the ability to not only alert you to the expiration date, but also enforce it.

One of the most notable examples of this is the Nest Protect smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. While there are certainly other smart smoke alarms on the market, the Nest Protect is very popular. When it reaches its expiration date, it lets you know quite vocally.

Within two weeks of expiration, the indicator light turns yellow announcing that “Nest Protect has expired.” Replace it now.” Also, on the official expiration date, Protect turns itself off. Ignore all that, and it will resort to incessant screeching on the last of your battery.

As annoying as it may be, it forces you to pay attention to the expiration date and replace your smoke detector at the right time.

I recently spent an hour replacing all my smoke alarms thanks to Protect’s vocal prodding. If it’s been a decade or two since you replaced your smoke detectors, now would be a good time to pick up a few and do the same.

And if you want to upgrade your traditional smoke alarms so you can get alarm notifications when you’re away from home, you know, without the expense of installing an expensive smart smoke alarm in every room, you can always set your smart. speakers to hear the alarm.