Your smoke alarm’s chirp can be oddly reassuring, a small sound that suggests everything is still working. Yet the device making that noise may already be too old to reliably sense a real fire. The ...

The first time most people hear the quiet chirp of a smoke detector in the dead of winter, it feels like a minor nuisance. It’s easy to press a finger to the base, silence the sound and carry on. But ...

Lee Wallender is a home improvement writer of nearly 20 years and specializes in home remodeling, repair and maintenance. Sami Allen is the managing editor at Forbes Home, with over seven years of ...

Why are you reading about smoke detectors, may you ask? Well, for one, they can save your life — indicating the onset of a fire at home. According to the “Smoke Alarms in US Home Fires” report by the ...

Adding smarts to smoke detection can feel like walking a treacherous path. Old-fashioned smoke detectors have served as a fine warning system for a long time. Yes, between false alarms and low-battery ...

Editor's Note Dec. 31, 2025: We combed through this article to ensure all of our product recommendations are in stock. The Google Nest Protect seems to no longer be available, so we removed it from ...