Are You Living On the Edge?
Apparently I was. I had just left the house and my wife was home alone. I got a call on my cell phone from her - she was panicked.......
THE SMOKE DETECTOR HAD JUST SOUNDED OFF. I had visions of disaster!
Returning home immediately, I was happy to find her somewhat relieved. There was no smell of smoke and the alarm had quit on it's own. Checking the house from top to bottom, looking for smoke in hidden recesses, checking the furnace, feeling the receptacle plates for hot devices and doing everything I could imagine turned up nothing..... THANKFULLY. We weren't cooking anything, not even toast in the toaster. We haven't had a fire in the fireplace in years. It was warm outside so I couldn't imagine that the neighbors were using their fireplaces and no BBQs were being used anywhere close to our house. It's still a mystery.
Then It Hit Me - Red Flags went up. That Smoke Detector Was In the House When We Bought It Many Years Ago.
That was a wake-up call to assess my home protection. A trip to the hardware store taught me that these smoke detecting devices should be changed EVERY FIVE YEARS according to one manufacturer and at least every seven years according to another.. I was virtually living on the edge. Mine was WAY out of date. Needless to say, I now have new deviceS and there is now a new one at the head of the stairs and in each bedroom.
In California, it is now law that there be carbon monoxide detectors in the home too. See your local retailer for details of this new requirement. I'm in compliance there too with the purchase of multi-tasked alarms.
I consider myself VERY LUCKY. For less than $100, my home has as much protection as recommended. Hopefully, sharing the details of my event will cause others to assess their situations and make the necessary replacements before you too get that panic call from your family. Smoke detectors save lives.
Are You Living On the Edge?
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It's All About YOU! Brad Rachielles, REALTOR, Upland, CA
Brad Rachielles, REALTOR. Helping Inland Empire Buyers and Sellers with their Real Estate needs in the Communities of: Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Claremont, Ontario, Chino, Chino Hills, Pomona and La Verne, CA.
Cell: 909-816-7333
Web Page: http://www.BradRachielles.com
e-Mail: bradrachielles@dslextreme.com
