Of all the things we do in our homes and at work, all the items we add, one thing we do not think of till it is to late is our smoke detectors. Either we do not have any, not enough or they are to old. Proper placed smoke detectors saves lives and can greatly reduce property damage. This investment is one we all hope you will never need to use, but is one you need to make.Today the Code requires a smoke detector in each bedroom and one combo smoke/carbon dioxide detector on each level of a home.The Code is designed to save lives, plain and simple, the proper placement and installation will provide you and family years of protection.Smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a reported fire in half.Most homes (96%) have at least one smoke alarm (according to a 2008 telephone survey.)Overall, three-quarters of all U.S. homes have at least one working smoke alarm.Each year, nearly 3,000 people die in U.S. home firesIn 2003-2006, roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from home fires in homeswith no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms No smoke alarms were present in 40% of the home fire deaths.In 23% of the home fire deaths, smoke alarms were present but did not soundIn more than half of the reported home fires in which the smoke alarms were present butdid not operate even though the fire was large enough, batteries were missing or disconnected.Nuisance alarms were the leading reason for disconnected alarms.More than half of the smoke alarms found in reported fires and two-thirds of the alarms found inhomes with fire deaths were powered by battery onlyMost homes still have smoke alarms powered by battery only. In a 2007 American Housing Survey (AHS), 67% of the respondents who reported having smoke alarms said they were powered by battery onlyIn fires considered large enough to activate a smoke alarm, hard-wired alarms operated 91% of the time; battery-powered smoke alarms operated 75% of the time. Interconnected smoke alarms on all floors increase safety.Electrical failures or malfunctions are factors in roughly 50,000 reported fires each year.