New Fire Alarm Law Takes Affect Today

If you are in the market for new smoke detectors and fire alarms, you are now required to purchase specific ones by law. Here's what you need to know. Today is the first day that the new law takes affect for new or replacement smoke detectors that must either be powered by a sealed non-removable battery with a minimum of a ten year battery life or be hard-wired to the building itself.

According to News 10 ABC, you can still get the old smoke detectors that have the removable batteries if the retailer has it in stock and were ordered before April 1st. It's important to note that you do not have to remove an older smoke detector that has a removable battery as long as it was installed according to building code at that time.

If you do have the existing smoke detectors, you are encouraged to check them at least twice per year. For more information and questions about the new law, you can check out the Division of Consumer Protection.