New Smoke Detector Law Goes Into Effect In NY

A new smoke alarm law in New York State went into effect on April 1, 2019.

It's no April Fools joke, a new smoke detector law has gone into effect in New York State on Monday, April 1. The Democrat and Chronicle reports that the law mainly applies to the batteries used in smoke detectors.

The law states that as of Monday, all new and/or replacement smoke detectors that are sold in New York state must have a 10-year, sealed non-removable battery or must be hardwired to the home, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. It's estimated that three out of five house fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors. The majority of the smoke detectors that don't work have missing or dead batteries.

So you're probably wondering, do I need to replace my smoke detector? Only if it's over 10 years old, or you're not sure how old it is. If you have a newer battery operated smoke detector, you are still able to use that and purchase replaceable batteries. However, those types of smoke detectors will no longer be available for sale in New York, according to the Democrat and Chronicle.

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