Fire officials urge homeowners to practice proper smoke detector maintenance to avoid false alarms and potentially an avoidable bill from the fire department.

Smoke detectors are sometimes a home’s first line of defence when warning homeowners of harmful fires and dangerous smoke. However there are variables and factors that may set your detector off when neither a fire or smoke is present.

Recently it was reported that fire-fighters were responding to a large number of false alarms, many of which – depending on the region, were due to the humidity in the air causing a false reading in the system and sounding the alarm.

Dennis Ogg, Rosetown Fire Chief, said his department alone have responded to 10 false alarm calls since November of last year.There is a lot of man-power and urgency that is put into each and every call and although it is always a relief when everything is in fact OK, a lot resources were used for something that could have been avoided.

Ogg said things such as heat and humidity from not only the outside temperatures but showers and even toasters can set off an alarm, as well as, built up dust and debris from not properly maintaining your system.

For homes or businesses that have their smoke detectors hooked up to their alarm systems, these systems can automatically dispatch the fire department. Ogg said to make sure all family members or personnel have the number to the alarm company so they are able to retract the call to the department if need be. He added that the systems company will automatically dispatch a call to the nearest fire department but if contacted promptly they would have enough time to notify fire officials of the false alarm before any trucks left the hall.

Often times there is a charge to the occupants of the home where the alarm was sounded, Ogg said in Rosetown, they permit one ‘freebie’ where there is no charge and after that charges may go as high as $900.

For more information regarding proper placement and maintenance of your fire alarm, click here to access a quick-tips sheet published by the Town of Kindersley.