Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 6-12, which makes this a good time to resurface a sobering statistic: Three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Many house fires today burn faster, hotter, and are deadlier than ever. That’s because many newer homes have open floor plans with fewer walls and doors, allowing the fire to travel faster and more freely.
Recommended Videos
RELATED: Consumer Reports rates best smoke detectors and CO detectors
Another factor is that many homes have furnishings made with synthetic materials, like plastic or particleboard, which burn much quicker than say, solid wood, so getting an early fire warning and then getting out is more important than ever.
This advice from the National Fire Protection Association makes it easy -- Install an alarm on each floor, test at least once a month, and replace it after 10 years.
Consumer Reports’ exclusive Smoke Detectors ratings are free, so no membership is required.
The SimpliSafe SSSD3 dual-sensor smoke detector received top scores for detecting both flaming and smoldering fires. It’s battery-operated -- which means you won’t need a professional to hard wire it. It can also be interconnected so if one alarm sounds off, the others will follow.
The battery-powered Kidde i9070 smoke detector also received top scores for detecting both flaming and smoldering fires.
The Siterwell GS526A smoke detector from Walmart is another good option and comes with a ten-year battery.