You’re probably diligent about checking expiration dates on cheese, bread and milk, but how often do you think about the important things in your home that also have expiration dates?

It’s often a case of out of sight or out of mind, but allowing these three common household objects to elapse could cause serious problems.  We hope that this article helps tighten up your home maintenance routines to ensure your home is safe and sound.

Smoke and CO Detectors

Smoke and CO detectors are essential components of any home, but many people don’t realize that they expire. Over time the internal components degrade, making them useless and putting you and your family at risk.

Smoke detectors typically expire every 7 to 10 years. To find the expiry date, look on the back.

It’s easy to test if your smoke detector is working by checking if the alarm works. All you have to do is press and hold the “TEST” button.

Why is my Smoke Detector Is Beeping

You should also replace the batteries once a year or earlier if it starts chirping, a sign that they’re running out of juice.

CO detectors expire every 5 to 7 years. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odourless, colourless gas that can cause serious illness or death. Without a working CO detector, you won’t know you’re breathing it until you have symptoms –which is often too late.

Testing your CO detector is similar to testing a smoke alarm. Press and hold the test button until the alarm sounds, and it could take up to 20 seconds to work.

You should have smoke and CO detectors on every level of your home, and make sure you’re checking them and replacing them as needed.

Washing Machine Hoses

Washing machine hoses typically last about 5 five years, and they also have an expiry date stamped right on them.

When it comes to flooding in the home, a faulty washing machine hose is one of the leading causes.

It’s an easy job you can probably do for under $40. A cost-effective home improvement compared to the risk of having a burst hose discharging gallons of water into your house. If this happens when everyone is out, the result could be significant flooding that could destroy the house.

Water Heaters

Okay, water heaters don’t technically expire, BUT most insurance companies won’t insure damage caused by one after they reach twelve years old.  If you’re nearing this time, call your insurance company to confirm and consider replacing it.

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers have a life expectancy of about ten years. They generally don’t have a specific expiration date, so the best thing you can do is to test them.

If the needle is in the green, it should be working, but if not, get your fire extinguisher recharged or replaced.

You also want to replace your fire extinguishers if you notice any of the following:

• Missing safety seal or metal locking pin on the handle
• Broken handle
• Cracked, broken, or blocked nozzle

Check these things out to keep your home safe and in good shape.

If you need a realtor, call the KT Team at 1 (800) 617-0090 or DM us on Insta.