Nov. 4 ends Daylight Saving Time Ends

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 4 — marking the great moment when all clocks are pushed back one hour.

It happens every year and many are thankful for the extra hour of sleep in preparation for long winter months. But as the furnaces kick back into full gear, it’s also a good reminder to change the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Per code, there should be at least one smoke detector in each bedroom, one in the hallway and the living room area and one on each additional level of a home. Carbon monoxide detectors also should be on each level.

Hard wiring the units is the best route for staying fully protected for danger that essentially can start at any point and anywhere in the home or apartment unit, said Midland Fire Marshal Josh Mosher. This type of wiring is required of all new home construction and apartment units.
“Change your clock, change your batteries,” Mosher said. “It’s easy to forget but it can save lives. Over my 15 years, it seems to have gotten better but I think that’s because we’ve been promoting it more and more.”
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and tasteless and that’s why it’s key to have a detector inside the home.
“Every home has something that could potentially produce carbon monoxide,” Mosher said.
Wood stoves, hot water heaters and fireplaces are all common culprits. Another one that many people don’t think of is when they start their vehicles inside a closed garage in the morning. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, there’s still potential for carbon monoxide to seep into their home, Mosher added.
The number one way to prevent issues is to have your furnace and hot water heater maintained annually. Sometimes settings and adjustments can be off and it is a simple fix to avoid larger problems, he said.
There are a variety of smoke detectors available at most hardware stores. Tim Stevens, manager at Gill-Roy’s, 3128 N. Jefferson Ave., said they range in price between $7 and $50.
“There’s one that talks to you. You can record your voice,” Stevens said. “I guess the thought behind it is that your voice will wake the child up better.”
Carbon monoxide detectors range between $24.99 and $44.99 and they’re also available as a plug-in with a battery backup.
Lithium batteries that last 10 years can also be purchased for the smoke detectors for about an extra $8, Stevens said.
“We have a decent selection here,” he said. “I think most folks realize the importance of having them. They save lives.”
As far as hardwiring the detectors, most electricians can complete the job in less that a day for folks who have homes without this type of connection.
Mike Trombley of Valley Electrical Contractors, 3079 E. Commercial Dr., Midland, said it’s not too complicated of a process but it does involve running wiring inside walls, attics, or a basement.
“Hardwiring is safer, because if one goes off, they all go off,” Trombley said. “If you have a fire starting by a furnace and if you have a three-story home, you would hear it. You can’t sleep through them, that’s for sure.”
The cost of hardwiring a home is typically $75 per alarm. An electrical permit also must be obtained, which usually costs between $29 and $35. Hardwiring is also required if you are remodeling a home, Trombley said.
“The State of Michigan is really pushing to bring homes up to code. You have to bring them up to code,” he said. “It saves lives. It’s worth it.”
Trombley also recommends that families do a fire drill once a month. When his kids were little, he wouldn’t even tell them when he was going to test the alarms, so he could make sure they knew what they should do in the event of a fire.

“If you do it once a month, they don’t forget. If it’s every six months, they could forget,” he said. “This way it stays in their minds.”