Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for older adults: easier testing, 10-year batteries and hearing-loss options (2026)

Where alarms need to go

The US Fire Administration recommends a smoke alarm on every level of the home, inside every bedroom and outside each sleeping area, ideally interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound. In Ontario, the law requires working smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. For CO, Ontario requires an alarm next to each sleeping area in any home with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, and since January 1, 2026, on every storey as well. Rules differ by province and state, so check with your local fire department.

Official sources: Fire safety for older adults (US Fire Administration) · Fire safety at home (Ontario) · Carbon monoxide safety and the 2026 alarm rules (Ontario)

Choose 10-year sealed-battery alarms

The simplest way to stop climbing up to change batteries is to replace old 9-volt alarms with ones that have a sealed 10-year lithium battery. There's no battery to change for the life of the alarm, no low-battery chirp at 3 a.m., and the alarm tells you when it's time to replace the whole unit. The USFA says to replace any smoke alarm 10 years from its manufacture date anyway, so if yours are older than that or you can't find a date on the back, it's time. The Kidde 20SD10-CA is one example: a photoelectric smoke alarm with a sealed 10-year battery that also says "Fire! Fire!" when it goes off.

• Kidde 20SD10-CA 10-year battery talking smoke alarm – Approx. C$63 (Amazon.ca, October 2026)

Official source: Smoke alarm types, testing and replacement (US Fire Administration)

One unit for smoke and CO

A combination alarm covers both smoke and carbon monoxide, which means fewer units on the ceiling and fewer to test. The Kidde 30CUD10-VCA runs on a sealed 10-year battery and uses spoken alerts in English or French to say which danger it has found, which helps if you're confused or half-asleep. Whatever you choose, learn both sounds: Ontario's Fire Marshal points out that a CO alarm sounds different from a smoke alarm, and everyone in the home should know the difference.

• Kidde 30CUD10-VCA 10-year battery smoke and carbon monoxide alarm with voice – Approx. C$90 (Amazon.ca, October 2026)

A CO alarm you can reach

Carbon monoxide is invisible and has no smell or taste. Ontario lists headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion and drowsiness among the symptoms, which are easy to mistake for flu or for feeling your age. A plug-in CO alarm such as the First Alert CO615 sits at outlet height, so you can press the test button and read the digital display without climbing, and its battery backup keeps it working in a power cut. Put it in an outlet outside the bedrooms that isn't controlled by a light switch or hidden behind furniture. Keep having fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents checked every year before the cold weather.

• First Alert CO615 plug-in carbon monoxide alarm with battery backup and digital display – Approx. C$76 (Amazon.ca, October 2026)

Test from the floor, not a ladder

Test smoke and CO alarms once a month by pressing the test button, as both the USFA and Ontario recommend. Many alarms can be tested by pressing the button with the end of a broom handle while you stand on the floor; check your alarm's manual first. Don't stand on a chair or step stool to test, dust or replace an alarm if your balance, strength or vision isn't reliable. Ask a family member, neighbour or landlord, or call your local fire department. The USFA says caregivers should check the alarms of anyone who can't do it themselves. If you rent, your landlord is responsible for installing and maintaining the alarms.

Related guide: Night lights for fall prevention

If you might not hear the alarm

Hearing loss, sleeping pills and deep sleep can all mean a standard alarm doesn't wake you. The USFA notes that there are smoke alarms for people with hearing loss that flash strobe lights and/or vibrate, often using a bed shaker under the pillow or mattress. Some systems listen for your existing alarms and add a loud low-pitched sound, a shaker or a flashing light. Check that a system works with your alarm's sound pattern before you buy. Talking alarms and interconnected alarms (one sounds, all sound) also help when you sleep far from the kitchen or the furnace. Ask your fire department or a hearing-loss association about local programs that supply these devices.

Plan your way out

An alarm only buys you time if you can use it. Plan two ways out of the bedroom and the home, and make sure your walker or wheelchair fits through each door. Keep your glasses, phone, a flashlight and your mobility aid beside the bed every night. A night light along the route helps here too. If you'd need help getting out, tell your building manager, family and local fire department now, not during an emergency. The USFA also warns never to smoke near medical oxygen.

Related guides: Getting in and out of bed safely · Rollator vs walker

Cost and free help

Smoke alarms are not expensive: the USFA lists basic alarms from about US$6, and 10-year sealed or combination alarms cost more, roughly C$60 to C$90 each for the models above at Amazon.ca in October 2026. The USFA says some fire departments offer reduced-price or free smoke alarms, and many will install them or check them for older adults or people with disabilities, so call your local fire department's non-emergency line. Hard-wired, interconnected alarms are a job for a licensed electrician and may count as a home safety upgrade for some accessibility funding programs.

Related guides: Hot water scald prevention for older adults · Home accessibility funding in Ontario and Canada · Getting help after a fall

Safety notes

• Suction grab bars are a balance aid only. They can release without warning and must never hold your body weight or be used to stop a fall.
• Anchor wall grab bars into studs or approved blocking, never drywall alone, and follow the manufacturer's instructions or use a qualified installer.
• Check the weight capacity and fit of any seat, rail or pole, and follow the manufacturer's instructions.