When a fire starts at the far end of your home, the first alarm to sense smoke is rarely the one outside your bedroom. If your detectors are not linked, you may not hear that first warning until the ...

Lee Wallender is a home improvement writer of nearly 20 years and specializes in home remodeling, repair and maintenance. Sami Allen is the managing editor at Forbes Home, with over seven years of ...

Lee Wallender is a home improvement writer of nearly 20 years and specializes in home remodeling, repair and maintenance. Sami Allen is the managing editor at Forbes Home, with over seven years of ...

Q: My home has hard-wired smoke detectors. How often do I need to replace them, and what kind of replacements do I need? Can I do it myself, or do I need a professional? And if I need a pro, what kind ...

Installing and maintaining smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors can save your life. Fortunately, they’re inexpensive and easy to put in place. Basic smoke detectors cost as little as $15 and ...

Q: I bought a house last year and had it remodeled. I have a home warranty plan. The detectors in my home were very old and needed to be replaced. The home warranty covered replacing all five ...

Ionization smoke alarms use a battery and two metal plates, called electrodes, to create an electrical circuit. Ions are tiny ...

When you move into or buy a new home, no one hands you a guide to how the smoke detectors work. They "chirp," which really means shriek loudly, and you occasionally have to put new batteries in them.