Today is National Batteries Day in the USA … pet sitters… have you had a smoke detector go off and need new batteries in the night? I think it may be a good topic to cover with the homeowner since the alarm can really freak out pets…
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Lisa & Nancy, Welcome to our Community Forum we’re usually meeting on https://www.blogtalkradio.com/big-blend-radio talking pets, house sitting and champagne toasts, it’s lovely to have you join in the conversation, it will be great to share in your amazing US travel adventure with TrustedHousesitters.
What a good question and suggestion Lisa, I wonder how many sitters have gone “What’s that noise?” … when the batteries are running down.
Welcome again!
Angela and the team
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Thank you for the welcome Provence, it is nice to connect with you. Yes, the detector has a high pitched ring - and some even talk!
Yes, my mother Nancy and I publish two magazines and host radio shows. We travel full time on our Love Your Parks Tour to document parks and public lands, and since July 2019 we pet started sitting along the way, which has been wonderful. Thank you TrustHouseSitters! We do document our sits too: Pet and House Sitting Across America | Parks & Travel Magazine
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Thank you Angela, glad to be here.
For some animals the batteries are like 4th of July fireworks. Good to know where replacement batteries are…and even how to replace them.
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… and how to reach the alarm, if there’s no ladder and you’re vertically challenged!
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Thank you Provence – I hope it gets better for you in France soon.
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Smoke detectors are supposed to freak out. That saves lives. But a nearly dead battery in a smoke detector or any other warning device should not do that. I don’t know how smoke detectors work in the U.S. . In Europe they report nearly dead batteries starting with a single beep at very long intervals over several days until you respond. The longer it takes, the shorter the pause. Talking models are not widely used here.
That can be annoying but I don’t think that freak someone out and you have time to change the batterie. If it is so annoying that it causes panic, grab the pets and run.
But this is a good topic. I always ask during the house tour what I should do in the event of a disaster (fire, water, wind) or when something happens that normally should not happen. Should I do or save something if possible? Is there anything valuable? Valuable and irreplaceable can be anything, That doesn’t always have to be valuable in the sense of money. Many of the HO think about this for the first time at this moment. That a good starter and some HO then think of what they should mention. Water detector under the sink, spare key in the garden or with neighbors. Emergency release for the electric yard gate, etc.
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Good point and ooh I feel your pain. We’ve had so many smoke detectors go off on our sits through low battery problems, that it’s now a question, along with the other security stuff on our handovers. Where are they all, where are the replacement batteries, and where are the step-ladders? -they are generally out of normal reach! We had one that was particularly sensitive to us using the toaster and we had to make sure the windows were open when we toasted bread 
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Hello guys
Welcome to the family 
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Hello and thank you
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Ha ha- yes, it will be of course at 1am when you grab the first chair to stand on to replace batteries …and it swirls around
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What I do in my own home is diary my calendar to replace my smoke detector batteries once a year…and same with my keyless entry.
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Great idea.
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Anything to avoid the sound of that horrendous noise in the middle of the night and the poor dog(s) having a heart attack ha ha! Google Tasks is my friend!
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Love all hints and tips.
Makes life so much easier.
Bridette is also great on hints and tips
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