One of the first lines of defense in any home should be smoke detectors. Smoke detectors should be installed in hallways and bed rooms. Often people debate which is the preferred smoke detector--the battery operated or the hard wired type. Our preference is for the hard wired type, because you never have to remember to change the batteries. There are even models of smoke detectors that are hard wired with battery back up.

Here's a real tip for you. Some smoke detectors can be wired in tandem. When wired in tandem any single smoke detector in alarm will cause the others in the system to alarm as well. Tandem detectors can awaken the whole family in the event of fire.

If you have battery operated smoke detectors, remember to change the batteries one a year. Most detectors will chirp when the batteries are low, so change the batteries if you hear the chirp.