A good smoke alarm is always the first and best defense against a fire that may occur in your home, but even the best smoke detector doesn't last forever. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke detectors or no working smoke detectors.
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says most smoke alarms have a life span of eight to 10 years. When you purchase a new detector, the USFA recommends that you write the purchase date on the inside to know when to change it.
The USFA recommends that batteries in smoke alarms should be replaced at least once a year. The entire unit should be replaced after eight to 10 years.
Little research has been done on when detectors fail. One Canadian study in the early 1980s suggested detectors fail at a rate of 3 percent a year, regardless of age. One former official of alarm manufacturer Pittway told the "New York Times" that the electronic components should last 30 years, but a detector could fail at any time. Changing an alarm every 10 years provides a reasonable margin of safety, he said.