Did you know that Maryland passed a new law regarding smoke alarms that went into effect on July 1, 2013?

The new law eliminates the 9 volt replaceable battery that all too often is found to be dead or removed and rendering the smoke alarm useless. It also mandates the number and location of smoke alarms in your home.

So what do you need to know?

- It is time to replace your smoke alarm! The new Maryland law states that you must replace it with a "long-life battery" smoke alarm, which should be replaced every 10 years. This new smoke alarm should still be checked for functionality every six months (with each time change), but the battery is not replaceable. If the smoke alarm found to not be functioning, replace the entire smoke alarm.

- The law also states that a smoke alarm must be installed outside of each sleeping area AND on every floor of the home including the basement.

Lisbon VFC also strongly suggests installing a carbon monoxide detector in your home.