Each year, thousands of Arizona residents email or call Rosie Romero’s radio show with questions about everything from preventing fires in their chimneys to getting rid of tree roots invading their sewer system. His goal is to provide answers that suit the specific lifestyle wherever someone lives in Arizona.
Q: Eleven years ago, I bought a plastic blister pack that contains three smoke alarms. I never opened it up to use the alarms. Can I use them now? Are they still good to install in my house?
A: You can’t install those alarms now, even if you’ve never opened the package. Ten years is the limit on the life of a smoke alarm. In that time period, the technology has improved significantly. So what you buy now will be a lot better than what is in your unused package. Always check the expiration date on the package label.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-7
