As we all know in Southern California, smoke can be very alarming—literally. We’re all absolutely aware of the wildfire threat, but what about inside your home?

In this Virtually Rick, we go through smoke detectors and why you should get one... lots of them actually. 

Half of all home fire deaths in the U.S. happen between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Nationally there are around 3,000 deaths a year from house fires. California, Texas, and New York have the largest number of fire deaths in the U.S.

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More than a third of those are from fires in homes where there are NO smoke alarms at all. A high percentage are just from carelessness, like candles or frayed electrical wires. Some are smoking related but it's cooking that creates some of the highest injuries.

So now you can see why having an alarm is crucial. And yes, you may have one or two, but when was the last time you tested them?

You’d be amazed but three out of five deaths are in properties that have fire alarms that don’t work. And all because the battery was flat or disconnected! Seriously?

I don’t want to blow smoke up your nose, but let’s presume for everyone’s benefit, that you already, quite sensibly have smoke alarms in your home.   

Well how long have you had them?

The U.S. Fire Administration suggests if they’ve been there for longer than 10 years that you chuck them in the trash and invest in some new ones, because that’s the best way to BURN your money!

Test them every month and of course replace them if they don’t work! And where to put them? INSIDE every bedroom, OUTSIDE every bedroom and on every level of your house!  

But what type should you get? There are a zillion brands, but two basic types, ionization or photoelectric. Astonishingly they detect different types of fires.

The USFA recommends you have a mixture of both or buy dual sensor alarms and, if you can, make them interconnected too so that if one of them goes off, they all do. If you have hearing loss then make sure you get the strobing and flashing alarms, too.  

How to deal with the most common problem? Setting off the alarms in the kitchen when you’re carbonizing your toast by mistake?

Well don’t disconnect or remove the battery because your ears hurt. Just move them or use your best towel wave because if you forget to switch them back on later. Well let’s just say that’s how, every year in the U.S., a lot of people's dreams literally go up in smoke.