Smoke Dectector Battery

[Recon]

For all you folks out there with a room full of radio equipment.
When is the last time you checked / replaced the battery in the smoke detector?
I do not wear my hearing aids when I'm sleeping. The past three or four nights, my dog suddenly starts barking at five to ten-minute intervals and I get out of bed to check the front and back yards for stray dogs and/or wild animals and find nothing. About three hours ago I heard a faint "chirp" and at the same time the dog starts barking. Sure enough, I checked the date of the battery in the smoke detector and it was installed on Thanksgiving Day in 2018! I removed the battery, went into the garage and taped the weak battery to the steering wheel in my truck which will remind me to buy a new battery today.
I also have two direct "wired-in" smoke detectors.
Thank you dog! I owe you one!

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Good point! Don't forget to check your fire extinguishers too. The dry chem type with the powder will become solid after a few years. Whenever I change the smoke detector batteries, I will take the extinguishers and shake them up to make sure the powder does not become solid. Nothing worse than pulling the trigger and nothing comes out.