I visit so many homes in which there are inactive or non-existent smoke detectors. Fire department officials have told me that many lives could have been saved if only the house was properly fitted with functional smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

Your house should have 1 smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector on each level of living space, including your basement. There should be 1 detector for every 1200 sqft of living space. The current regulations call for detectors to be less than 10 years old and sealed units so that the battery cannot be removed. Did you ever remove a battery from a detector because it was setting off from cooking? Bad idea!

It is also a great idea to test your smoke detectors at least twice every year. A good reminder is to self-test the detectors when you change the clocks in the spring and fall season.