Have you checked your smoke alarm?

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1 13/12/2017 Maintaining your home electrical - Clipsal by Schneider Electric A little bit of maintenance can go a long way. We've provided you with some essential tips to maintain your home electrical products. Basic maintenance will improve the life of your electrical products. It will also greatly improve safety throughout your home. Caring for your Clipsal accessories is easy and will enable you to enjoy their style for many years to come. Although the entire Clipsal range is manufactured from durable scratch and chemical resistant materials, please avoid using chemical cleaners. It is not recommended to spray cleaning products directly on to electrical switches or sockets. For the best results, simply wipe down your accessories with a non-abrasive, warm, damp cloth. Have you checked your smoke alarm? Good quality smoke alarms typically operate from the mains voltage supply, but they also contain a backup battery which allows the alarm to remain operational even when the power is cut during a blackout. Like all battery operated appliances, your smoke alarm battery must be checked regularly to make sure that it will still function if there is a fire. It is important that you check your battery condition regularly to ensure the best protection for you, your family and your home.

2 Test and maintain your smoke alarms monthly It's recommended that you test your smoke alarm and battery back-up, once a month. This ensures your smoke alarms are always in working order. Press and hold the Test/Hush button on the unit, or activate using a remote wall switch (available on some models). This should be done with the mains power switched OFF (turn off the lighting circuit at the switchboard). The alarm should sound, indicating the battery condition is acceptable. If the unit fails to respond, the battery should be replaced without delay. Ensure to clean the alarm from dust or insect ingress, each month, to avoid any unwanted false alarms.

3 Replace battery yearly From time to time, the smoke alarm battery must be replaced. It's recommended that you replace your batteries once a year, to ensure that they'll work whenever the need may arise. Clipsal by Schneider Electric recommends choosing a common date that occurs every year and is easy to remember (such as your birthday, or at the end of daylight saving time). The battery should also be replaced if the alarm fails to sound when you press and hold the Test button.

4 Replace smoke alarm unit every 10 years All smoke alarms (regardless of manufacturer) have a limited service life of 10 years. After that period, correct operation of the alarm cannot be guaranteed. The entire smoke alarm unit must be replaced with a new one. If it was installed over 10 years ago, please contact a licensed electrician to replace your smoke alarm unit. To find a licensed electrician in your area, please click here.

5 Have you checked your safety switch? In case of faulty appliances or wiring, a safety switch will disconnect the power in your home and save you from a potentially fatal electric shock. For this reason, it is imperative that you have a working safety switch protecting you and your family. It is recommended that you test your safety switch once a month to ensure it is in working order. To test your safety switch, simply open your electrical switchboard, locate your safety switch and push the test button. If the safety switch is working then it will disconnect the power to your home and then you can manually switch it back on. However if it does not switch off automatically, then you should contact a licensed electrician to replace your safety switch.

6 When testing your safety switch, you may want to do a visual inspection of your surge arrestor, if you have one installed. Simply located your surge arrester and check the colour of the safety window. If it is green then you have not had any issues with surges, however if it is red or black then you should contact a licensed electrician. Understanding your electrical switchboard can be confusing for most householders. If you would like more information about understanding your switchboard, please click here to download the Clipsal Safety and Security Brochure. If you are unsure or concerned about the age or performance of products in your electrical switchboard, please contact a licensed electrician to have them come and check it for you to ensure your family and home have the ultimate level of safety and total protection. To find a licensed electrician in your area, please click here. Do you have damaged power outlets or light switches? Homes are made to last for a long time however elements of the home require maintenance and replacement every now and then. For example roofs and gutters will last for decades and at some point will deteriorate and require maintenance. Power outlets and light switches are much the same. Whilst they can withstand years of repetitive use, they can deteriorate over time and like other products in the home, they may need maintenance or replacing. Damaged power outlets or light switches can present a potential safety concern for you and your family as they contain live wires and could lead to a shock or fire hazard. Damaged power outlets and light switches should not be ignored. If you notice electrical damage in your home, you should contact a licensed electrician to replace the damaged socket or switch immediately. To find a licensed electrician in your area, please click here.