MEBANE, N.C., June 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of
California homeowners may be
surprised the next time they go to purchase a new smoke alarm. As
of July 1, smoke and combination
smoke and carbon monoxide alarms powered by replaceable batteries
are no longer available for sale. Instead, all battery-powered
smoke alarms or combination alarms approved for sale by the state
fire marshal must be powered by a sealed, 10-year battery. Kidde
Worry-Free smoke and combination alarms comply with the
requirements and are available throughout California. Kidde Fire Safety, a leading
manufacturer of residential fire safety products, is a part of UTC
Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies
Corp. (NYSE: UTX).
A 2014 survey conducted by Qualtrics on behalf of Kidde found
two-thirds of California homes use
battery-powered smoke alarms, and nearly one out of three have
alarms that are over 10 years old. The state fire marshal and
national fire organizations like the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) recommend replacing smoke alarms every 10 years,
yet 41 percent of Californians surveyed didn't think they needed to
do so.
"The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with
working smoke alarms," said Tonya
Hoover, California state
fire marshal. "Installing sealed, tamper-proof alarms with
long-life lithium batteries provides the home's occupants with 10
years of continuous smoke detection and no need to worry about
changing batteries. More important, it will help save
lives."
The NFPA reports three out of every five home fire deaths occur
in homes that do not have a smoke alarm or where the alarm didn't
work – mainly due to dead or missing batteries. A long-life battery
sealed inside an alarm makes it virtually tamper-proof and
eliminates the risk associated with disabling the alarm.
The law, SB-745, also requires owners of rented or leased
residential dwellings to ensure smoke alarms are located in every
bedroom, in hallways leading to bedrooms, and on each level of a
home by Jan. 1, 2016 in order to
comply with current building standards. U.S. Census Bureau data
from 2013 shows 5.6 million renters occupied homes in California.
The average new U.S. home needs four or five smoke alarms, based
on code requirements to install alarms on each floor and inside and
outside of bedrooms. However, survey results found 70 percent of
California homes have fewer than
four alarms, leaving families unprotected.
"Having smoke alarms throughout the home can help save lives by
alerting families to potential fire risks," said Chris Rovenstine, vice president, sales and
marketing, Kidde. "We applaud the state of California for requiring homes to be protected
with smoke alarms with sealed, 10-year batteries and making it a
priority for homeowners to be proactive in their steps to
safety."
Ten-year sealed-battery smoke alarms, such as Kidde's Worry-Free
line, are safer alternatives that require less maintenance, are
available at home improvement retailers and cost between
$25 and $50. With no need to replace
batteries, consumers save about $40
in battery costs over the life of one alarm. After 10 years, the
alarms will sound a warning to indicate it is time for replacement.
Additionally, the line offers units with location-based features,
such as an added voice-warning in the bedroom alarm.
For more information, visit www.worryfreealarm.com.
About Kidde
Kidde is a leading manufacturer of
residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and fire
extinguishers, and has been delivering advanced fire-safety
technology since it produced the first integrated smoke detection
and carbon dioxide extinguishing system more than 90 years ago.
Kidde is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of
United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the
aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more
information, visit www.kidde.com or follow @KiddeSafety on
Twitter and @KiddeFireSafety on Instagram.
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SOURCE Kidde