Clocks Fall Back Nov. 1: Your 10-Minute Smoke and CO Alarm Checklist

This Sunday at 2 a.m., the clocks fall back an hour. In the fire service, that's our cue: when you change your clocks, check your alarms. It takes about ten minutes, and it's one of the most important things you can do for your family this fall.

Here's why I push it so hard: NFPA says that in a fire, you may have as little as 2 minutes to get out safely, and roughly three out of five home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. A working alarm is your family's head start.

Step 1: Test every smoke alarm

Press the test button on each smoke alarm and listen for its test signal. The pattern varies by model, so check the manufacturer's instructions.

If the test doesn't work, follow the manufacturer's troubleshooting instructions. Replace a removable battery if appropriate, or replace the alarm if it has a sealed battery or still fails to test. Replace smoke alarms when they reach 10 years old.

Make it a family thing: let your kids hear the sound so they recognize it. Teach everyone that a smoke alarm's emergency signal means get outside, call 911, and stay outside. Learn the sound pattern for your specific model.

Step 2: Fix the chirp

An occasional chirp can mean a low battery, end of service life, or another problem. Read the label on the back of your alarm or its manual to identify the signal before deciding what to replace.

If a replaceable battery is low, install a new one. If the alarm signals end of life, or continues to malfunction after troubleshooting, replace the alarm.

Never disable or remove a working alarm to silence a nuisance chirp. Keep your home protected while you address the issue.

A lesson from CO alarm calls

When we respond to a carbon monoxide alarm, the first thing we ask is whether anyone feels sick. We listen to the alarm's pattern, then use a CO meter or four-gas meter to check the environment. We also check the label on the back of the detector, which often explains what its different beep patterns mean, along with the unit's age or replacement information. Then we explain what we found and whether it needs a new battery or replacement.

In my experience, we respond to far more calls for low batteries and end-of-service-life signals than for actual CO activations. Many people don't realize their detector can make different sounds for different problems, so even a maintenance chirp can cause understandable worry. That's why I encourage families to learn their specific alarm's signals, check its age, and test it regularly—before it starts beeping. But if the emergency CO signal sounds, or you're unsure what the signal means, get everyone outside and call 911. Don't wait for symptoms or try to troubleshoot a possible emergency yourself.

Step 3: Check the dates

Smoke alarms: NFPA says all smoke alarms must be replaced 10 years after the manufacture date. Look for the date on the back of the alarm.

Carbon monoxide alarms: replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions. Check the replace-by date or end-of-life date on the label, since it varies by model.

Step 4: Check where they are

Smoke alarms (NFPA):

• Inside every bedroom and outside each sleeping area, like the hallway
• On every level of the home, including the basement
• On the ceiling or high on a wall, and at least 10 feet from the stove to reduce false alarms
• Interconnected if possible, so when one sounds, they all sound

CO alarms (NFPA):

• In a central location outside each sleeping area
• On every level of the home
• Placed and mounted per the manufacturer's instructions

Step 5: Test your CO alarms too

Test every CO alarm using its test button at least monthly, following the manufacturer's instructions. Learn the difference between its emergency alarm and maintenance signals. If the emergency signal sounds, or you cannot confidently identify the signal, leave the building and call 911.

If a CO alarm sounds

• Carbon monoxide has no color and no smell. Furnaces, fireplaces, gas stoves, water heaters, generators and cars in an attached garage can all produce it.
• Get everyone outside into fresh air right away. If you cannot get out, call 911 immediately and follow the dispatcher's instructions.
• Make sure everyone is accounted for, including pets.
• Call 911 from outside. Do not go back inside until emergency responders say it is safe.

CO poisoning can resemble the flu. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, confusion, and shortness of breath. Symptoms are not required for an emergency: if the CO alarm signals danger, evacuate even when everyone feels well.

Step 6: Practice your escape plan

While you're at it, walk your home escape plan with your kids: two ways out of every room and a meeting spot outside. My Fire Prevention Week guide has a full walkthrough, and my home safety checklist covers the rest of the house.

Many families also keep a fire blanket in a known spot near the kitchen. The Prepared Hero Fire Blanket is one option. A fire blanket does not replace working alarms, an escape plan, or calling 911 when needed.

The 10-minute checklist (print this)

• Test every smoke alarm (beep, beep, beep)
• Check chirps against the manufacturer's label; replace a battery or the alarm as directed
• Check smoke alarm manufacture dates (replace at 10 years)
• Check CO alarm replace-by dates
• Check smoke alarm placement inside bedrooms, outside sleeping areas, and on every level
• Test every CO alarm
• Practice your escape plan and meeting spot

For daycares, schools and workplaces

My hands-on Fire Safety class covers smoke and carbon monoxide alarm basics, fire extinguisher practice and escape planning, taught by fire service personnel. It's $15 per person on its own or $10 per person when added to a CPR or first aid class. Request a group quote.

FAQ

When do the clocks change in 2026? Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov 1, 2026 at 2:00 a.m., when clocks go back one hour.

How often should I test smoke alarms? At least once a month, per NFPA. The time change is an easy reminder for a full check.

Why is my smoke alarm chirping? A chirp may indicate a low battery, end of service life, or a fault. Read your model's label or manual to identify the pattern and the correct next step.

When do I replace a carbon monoxide alarm? Follow the manufacturer's instructions and check the replace-by date on the alarm.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning? Possible symptoms include headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, confusion, and shortness of breath. If the CO emergency alarm sounds, evacuate and call 911 even if no one feels sick.

Sources

Sources: NFPA smoke alarms · NFPA carbon monoxide safety · U.S. Fire Administration · NIST daylight saving time