Smoke alarms expire. Most people assume that as long as the detector beeps when you press the test button, it’s working — but the smoke sensor itself loses sensitivity over time. The National Fire Protection Association recommends replacing smoke alarms every 10 years, even if they appear to be working. Carbon monoxide detectors typically need replacement every 5 to 10 years depending on the model. If you don’t know how old your detectors are, the manufacture date is printed on the back of each unit.
If you’re hearing intermittent chirping, that’s the detector itself telling you it has reached end-of-life — not just a low battery. Replacing the battery on an expired detector won’t fix the problem. The unit needs to be replaced.
New Jersey requires sellers to obtain a Certificate of Smoke Detector, Carbon Monoxide Alarm, and Portable Fire Extinguisher Compliance before closing on a home sale. The local fire official inspects the property to verify that detectors are in the right locations, the right types, and the right age — and many homes fail the first inspection because of expired detectors, missing CO alarms, or detectors mounted in the wrong locations.
We’ve helped many homeowners pass this inspection on the first try. If you’re listing your home soon, we can do a pre-sale walkthrough, identify any compliance issues, and bring everything up to code before the official inspection — saving you the cost and hassle of a failed inspection at closing.