WASHINGTON — The air is cooler, the leaves are changing, the daylight hours are getting shorter and some of us are about to get an extra hour of sleep! Yes, it’s that time of year again. Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2 a.m. marks the end of Daylight Saving Time. That’s when consumers will turn their clocks back one hour, hopefully with some TLC. What does that mean? Glad you asked.

T – Test your alarms. Test smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms every month to make sure they are working.

L – Look at your alarms. Ensure nothing is covering or obstructing the alarm. Some have a green light indicator that flashes every minute. A red indicator may indicate a problem or issue with the battery or connection.

C – Check and change. Check to see if yours has been recalled. If it has, take action today. Remember to change the batteries in smoke and CO alarms every year.

A little TLC can go a long way in reducing the more than 360,000 home fires each year. Did you know there are roughly 2,200 deaths and 11,000 ER related injuries each year? Proper installation, operation, and maintenance of smoke alarms reduce the risk of fires in the home.

While smoke and fire are visible dangers, carbon monoxide is the invisible killer. CO is a colorless, odorless gas and can kill within minutes. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, just 42 percent of households report having a working carbon monoxide alarm. These alarms are lifesavers. They can alert you to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide inside your home before it reaches life-threatening levels.

Appliances fueled with natural gas, liquefied petroleum (LP gas), oil, kerosene, coal, or wood may produce CO. Burning charcoal also produces CO.

Prevention is key! Protect your family by installing smoke alarms on every floor, outside sleeping areas and inside bedrooms. CO alarms should be installed on every floor and outside sleeping areas. Make your fire escape plan today using our fire safety toolkit or refer to our carbon monoxide safety guides to safeguard your loved-ones from this poisonous gas.

Protect your family. Fall back with some TLC!

Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission. Courtesy of PRNewswire-USNewswire through the Associated Press.