New smoke detector regulations take effect in Illinois --- What you need to know

New smoke detector regulations take effect in Illinois --- What you need to know

The new year means new regulations when it comes to smoke detectors, and Illinois state fire officials are giving everyone a heads-up about what's changing.

CHICAGO - The new year means new regulations when it comes to smoke detectors, and Illinois state fire officials are giving everyone a heads-up about what is changing.

The new 2023 residential smoke detector regulations require detectors with a 10-year sealed battery. 

Over the past five years, there have been 485 residential fire deaths in Illinois, with nearly one-third occurring in Chicago.   

The majority of these deaths are occurring in homes without working smoke detectors.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE

Officials outlined why the older models might not work as well as you think they do.

"You might not realize it, but even if you're changing your batteries every six months in these types of devices, the manufacturer can only guarantee them for the 10 years past the manufacture date because dust collects on the sensory devices, and they can't be guaranteed to work during a fire, so if you have one hanging up on your wall, and it's probably yellow and tarnished, and you think ‘It’s okay, just change the batteries,' chances are it's probably not. To just avoid the confusion, it's probably best to just go out and get yourself a new 10-year alarm," said Margaret Vaughn, Government Affairs Director of Illinois Fire Safety Alliance. 

Ultimately, officials say the goal is to save lives.

They are hoping everyone will take a look at their smoke detectors and make the change.