Your home’s first line of defense against fires and smoke are its smoke detectors. These devices pick up on smoke in the air and alert you to its presence. The idea is that the alarm will activate and ...

There are multiple reasons to convert your home to hard-wired smoke detectors. One of the most basic reasons people convert is that some battery-powered smoke detectors can be hard to reach. Moreover, ...

Q: I changed the batteries in my smoke detector, but when I tested it afterward nothing happened. The batteries are new, but the smoke detector is very old. I know that it’s hard-wired into my home’s ...

Expensive repairs? Find a warranty to cover future costs. Expensive repairs? Find a warranty to cover future costs. According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke detectors should be ...

Q. How often do I need to replace my hard-wired smoke detectors? And who should I hire to do this? Our 15-year-old system has five detectors. A few are chirping, and it doesn’t stop even when we ...

Alina Bradford has been writing how-tos, tech articles and more for almost two decades. She currently writes for CNET's Smart Home Section, MTVNews' tech section and for Live Science's reference ...

Q: I bought a house last year and had it remodeled. I have a home warranty plan. The detectors in my home were very old and needed to be replaced. The home warranty covered replacing all five ...