Summary of findings
The dreaded chirp of a smoke alarm in need of new batteries can be a nuisance, but it can also save your life. However, our recent survey revealed a majority of Americans ignore proper safety measures when it comes to their smoke detectors.
House fires may seem rare, but in the first two months of 2020, a shocking 483 Americans lost their lives in civilian home fires. Since properly working smoke alarms decrease the risk of dying in a home fire by 50%, the U.S. Fire Administration recommends testing your smoke detector once a month to make sure it’s functioning properly.[1]
We ran a survey to see how many Americans were following safety protocols related to their smoke detectors. Our findings revealed:
- Only 1 in 4 Americans tests their smoke detector monthly per the U.S. Fire Administration’s recommendation.
- 16% of Americans have never tested their smoke detector and 20% admit to disconnecting it completely.
- Nearly 1 in 10 Americans don’t have a smoke detector in their home.
A working smoke alarm could be the difference between life and death in a home fire. Additionally, your home insurance policy could be invalidated if your smoke detector isn’t maintained. Below, we’ll take a deeper look at our startling survey results and compare them against other smoke detector statistics.