Clocks Fall Back Nov. 1: Five Small Resets Worth Making That Weekend |
Clocks fall back this Sunday, Nov. 1. Here are five quick household resets, from smoke alarms to the thermostat, that fit neatly into the extra hour. |
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks fall back to 1 a.m. Your phone will handle itself. Plenty of other things in the house won't, and a few of them matter more than the oven clock. Here are five small resets that fit comfortably into the hour you get back.
1. Press the test button on every smoke alarm
Fire-safety guidance based on the National Fire Protection Association's recommendations is simple: test smoke alarms once a month with the test button, and make sure there is one in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Alarms with replaceable batteries need a fresh battery at least once a year. Any alarm, whatever its battery, should be replaced 10 years after its manufacture date, which is printed on the back.
2. Check your carbon monoxide alarms, too
Colorado law requires an operational carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of the entrance to each bedroom in homes with a fuel-fired appliance or an attached garage. The rule applies when a home is sold, leased to a new tenant, or has permitted work done. That describes a lot of Centennial houses with gas furnaces and attached garages. Test them the same day as your smoke alarms.
3. Look at the furnace filter
ENERGY STAR's maintenance checklist says to inspect, clean or change the filter in your furnace or heat pump once a month and to have the heating system checked in the fall. Pull the filter out and hold it up to a light. If you can't see much light through it, swap it. Write the date on the edge of the new one so next month's check takes ten seconds.
4. Reprogram the thermostat for winter
The U.S. Department of Energy suggests about 68°F while you're awake and home in the heating season. It estimates that turning the thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees for about eight hours a day, overnight or while you're out, can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling. If your schedule changed since spring, update the programmed times now. If you have a heat pump, check that your thermostat is designed to manage setbacks for that system.
5. Fix the clocks that don't fix themselves
Car dashboards, older microwaves and ovens, wall clocks and plug-in timers for porch or holiday lights usually need a manual change. Doing them before bed on Saturday, Oct. 31, means nobody is late Monday morning. It's also a good moment to adjust outdoor light timers for the earlier sunsets ahead.
For local home-safety education, South Metro Fire Rescue, which is headquartered in Centennial, runs a Community Risk Reduction program focused on preventing fires and injuries.
This week's SMARTS challenge: set one repeating reminder on your phone for the first Saturday of every month that says "press the alarm test buttons." It takes under a minute, and it turns a twice-a-year chore into a habit. |
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Landlords should definitely be paying more attention to CO alarms. Glad this came up, will talk to mine about it.
Our thermostat confused me for weeks. Finally got the times set up last fall and saved on heating. Worth the hassle.
Tested all our alarms this morning. All loud and working! That reminder challenge is a good idea, setting it now.
Does anyone else have trouble remembering which filter to buy? Always end up at the hardware store with a guess.
Always appreciated when South Metro comes out to talk safety at the schools. The reminders stick with the kids.
Pro tip: keep a pack of 9v batteries in the junk drawer. You’ll actually remember to swap them when the time changes.
I use daylight saving as an excuse to check the Christmas light timers too. Love the early sunset for holiday lights!
Great idea! Daylight saving is the perfect time to get those holiday lights and timers ready for the cozy early evenings.
Every year my microwave clock ends up off by 12 hours instead of one. Wish clocks just updated themselves.
Had no idea CO alarms are required by law here. I moved ours but will get a second one just in case.
Never heard of the monthly test button trick, just did it and woke up the baby oops. Will test at nap time from now on.
68°F is chilly for me! We hover closer to 70 but I guess I should try dropping it to save a little.
Thanks for sharing! Even a small adjustment counts, and you can always experiment to find the lowest comfortable temperature for your home and budget.
I’ve got three dogs and the beep from the smoke alarm test makes them crazy but it’s worth it. Got all mine done this morning.
Thanks for the mention of outdoor light timers. Going to fix those today so the porch isn’t pitch dark at 5.
Didn’t realize you should write the date on the furnace filter. That’s clever, definitely going to do that tomorrow.
Harvey W.I started doing that last year and it actually helps a ton. Makes it easier to remember when it’s time for a new one.
I always get nervous climbing up to test the smoke detector in our stairwell. Wish there was a better way.
I wish our oven and microwave just updated like the phone. Never remember which button to push to switch the time.
Changed my batteries and set up an alarm test reminder. Feels good doing the safe thing. Easy way to use the extra hour.
Is the 10 year thing for ALL smoke alarms? Ours are all hardwired and the builder said they're fine forever. Now I’m worried.
Appreciate the reminder about carbon monoxide alarms. Didn’t know Colorado had rules about where they go. Moving one to the hallway by my daughter’s room.
So glad you found that info helpful, placing a carbon monoxide alarm near bedrooms is an important step for your family's safety.
My thermostat is so old, I don’t even think it’s programmable. Guess I’ll just have to remember to turn it lower before bed!
Honestly, I always forget the car clock until like March. Maybe this year I’ll fix it before I get mad on my drive again.
You're not alone, that car clock is always the last holdout! Doing it Saturday night can save you from that Monday morning frustration.
Wow, I never thought to check the furnace filter each month. Ours is looking dirty, definitely time for a change. Thanks for the tip about writing the date on it!