Deodorization

11/18/2023 (Permalink)

Interesting fact about SERVPRO® of Branch and South Calhoun, we can deodorize your home and business of the toxins that come from substances such as cigarette smoke!

Tobacco smoke is composed of numerous types of gasses as well as carcinogens and heavy metals, like arsenic, lead, and cyanide. Sticky, highly toxic particulates, like nicotine, can cling to walls and ceilings. Gases can be absorbed into carpets, draperies, and other upholsteries.

Many times hotels or realtors will call on us to come in and clean rooms that have been inhabited by heavy smokers. Your basic cleaning service is not going to have the expertise to effectively deodorize your home.

Take advantage of SERVPRO’s residential cleaning services to remove unwanted odors (including animal smells such as skunk and wet dog). Call us today 517-278-5261

Focus on Fire

11/18/2023 (Permalink)

Fall and winter weather, coupled with seasonal holiday heating, cooking and decorations, typically brings about an increase in residential fire frequency.  SERVPRO® of Branch and South Calhoun County fire damage restoration experts realize that people have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home before it's too late to get out.  In a matter of moments, a small flame can become a major fire, making it critical to be prepared with an escape plan in place.  Once a plan is developed, it is critical everyone in the home understands the plan; the best way to do this is by practicing the escape plan at least twice a year.

Working smoke detectors along with building and practicing a home escape plan increase your chance of surviving a fire.  The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) promotes steps to help you develop an emergency escape plan.  Simply having a plan for your home or business is not enough.  Your family and employees must be fully aware of the plan and practice it on a regular basis.

It Takes More Than Soap To Clean Up Soot or Smoke Damage

5/24/2022 (Permalink)

Dry Cleaning - Removes light to medium nongrease-based soils.  

Wet Cleaning - Removes moderate to heavy residues. The process involves cleaning using water, with or without a cleaning agent.   

 Spray and Wipe - Apply a cleaning product using a spray bottle. After spraying, wipe the surface with a clean white towel. This method is effective for materials possibly damaged if saturated with cleaning product.  

Foam Cleaning - Effective for light residues or delicate materials. Clean with the foam of a cleaning agent rather than the liquid    

Abrasive Cleaning - Agitates the surface being cleaned. Apply a cleaning product containing abrasive ingredients   

Immersion Cleaning - Dipping contents items into a bath of cleaning product. This bath is an ultrasonic tank filled with water and cleaning solution. High-frequency sound waves then create high temperatures and microscopic jet streams of fluid to agitate and scrub contents. SERVPRO recommends that you

DO NOT attempt to clean smoke-damaged surfaces or contents yourself.

 Call the professionals! SERVPRO of North Calhoun (269)-963-3033

Candle Safety in Your Coldwater Home

2/16/2022 (Permalink)

When fire damage occurs in your Coldwater home, call SERVPRO of Branch and South Calhoun. We’ll help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Did you know that roughly 2% of house fires are caused by candles? Ultimately, candles exist to help make your house feel like home and to make your home smell wonderful. Here at SERVPRO, we strongly advise that you follow the basics of candle safety and practice safely burning. Follow these tips to help extend the life of your candles and help keep you, your family, and pets safe.

The three basics of candle safety:

1. Never leave a burning candle unattended.
2. Never burn a candle on or near anything that might catch fire.
3. Keep candles out of reach of children and pets.

The Proper Way to Burn a Candle

Before Lighting

• Trim the wick
• Always use a candleholder
• Burn candles in a well-ventilated room
• Keep the wax pool clear

While Burning

• Never touch or move the candle
• Do not burn the candle all the way down
• Extinguish candle if the flame becomes too high or flickers repeatedly
• Always keep your candle within eyesight

When Extinguishing

• Use a candle snuffer
• Never use water to put out a candle
• Don’t touch or move the candle until it has completely cooled

When fire damage occurs in your Kalamazoo home, call SERVPRO of Branch and South Calhoun Counties. We’ll help make it “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO Is Here To Help When Fire Damages Your Home or Business

1/30/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Branch and South Calhoun Counties has what it takes to restore your home back to pre loss condition.

A fire can be devastating to your home or business. After the fire trucks leave, your property will likely suffer from not only fire and smoke damage, but also widespread water damage and flooding from firefighting efforts. SERVPRO has specialized fire and water damage restoration training and experience to quickly clean up and restore your home to pre-fire condition. They also can remove the pervasive smoke odor and deep-clean soot from upholstery and carpet.

Board-ups - In some cases firefighters may break windows and cut holes in the roof in order to vent the fire. It is extremely important to secure openings to your home or structure using sturdy, durable materials designed to protect it from both weather intrusion and intrusion by outsiders.

Types of Fire/Smoke/Soot

Wet Smoke – Plastics and Synthetics; Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood; Fast burning, high temperatures, dry, powdery, non-smeary residues.

Protein – Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor.

Fuel Oil Soot – Furnace Puff Backs. Other Types – Tear gas, fingerprint powder and fire extinguisher residue.

What to do after a fire:

• Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.

What NOT to do after a fire:

• Don't attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting SERVPRO 
• Don't attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
• Don't use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat or water.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
• Don't send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may damage garment further.

SERVPRO of Branch and South Calhoun Counties has what it takes to restore your home back to pre loss condition.

First Step: Fireproof Safety Box

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

Our expertise and “restore” versus “replace” mentality can help you save money while preserving precious keepsakes that can’t be replaced.

We know how important it is to keep your belongings safe. The first step to take in keeping your valuables and important documents safe is purchasing a fireproof safety box. This box will make sure your items stay secure in case of a fire.

Items you might store in your safety box include: 

• Birth certificate
• Social Security cards
• Property titles
• Spare keys
• Digital hard drives containing family photos
• Jewelry  

What SERVPRO Can Do

If your home does suffer from a fire, SERVPRO can help make it “Like it never even happened.” SERVPRO of Branch and South Calhoun specializes in restoring contents that have been damaged by fire. Our expertise and “restore” versus “replace” mentality can help you save money while preserving precious keepsakes that can’t be replaced. 

Did You Know - Not All Smoke Damage Can Be Cleaned With Soap!

1/7/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO recommends that you DO NOT attempt to clean smoke-damaged surfaces or contents yourself, and call the professionals!

Here is a quick description of each method of content cleaning:  

Dry Cleaning - Removes light to medium non-grease-based soils.    

Wet Cleaning - Removes moderate to heavy residues. The process involves cleaning using water, with or without a cleaning agent.

    Spray and Wipe - Apply a cleaning product using a spray bottle. After spraying, wipe the surface with a clean white towel. This method is effective for materials possibly damaged if saturated with cleaning product.   

  Foam Cleaning - Effective for light residues or delicate materials. Clean with the foam of a cleaning agent rather than the liquid   

 Abrasive Cleaning - Agitates the surface being cleaned. Apply a cleaning product containing abrasive ingredients    

Immersion Cleaning - Dipping contents items into a bath of cleaning product. This bath is an ultrasonic tank filled with water and cleaning solution. High-frequency sound waves then create high temperatures and microscopic jet streams of fluid to agitate and scrub contents.

SERVPRO recommends that you DO NOT attempt to clean smoke-damaged surfaces or contents yourself, and call the professionals!

SERVPRO Is Here When You Need Smoke and Soot Cleanup

12/29/2021 (Permalink)

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage? Call Us Today – (800) 630-7119

Smoke and soot facts:

• Hot smoke migrates to cooler areas and upper levels of a structure.
• Smoke flows around plumbing systems, seeping through the holes used by pipes to go from floor to floor.
• The type of smoke may greatly affect the restoration process.

Different Types of Smoke

There are two different types of smoke–wet and dry. As a result, there are different types of soot residue after a fire. Before restoration begins, SERVPRO of Branch & South Calhoun will test the soot to determine which type of smoke damage occurred. The cleaning procedures will then be based on the information identified during pretesting. Here is some additional information:

Wet Smoke – Plastic and Rubber

• Low heat, smoldering, pungent odor, sticky, smeary. Smoke webs are more difficult to clean.

Dry Smoke – Paper and Wood

• Fast burning, high temperatures, heat rises therefore smoke rises.

Protein Fire Residue – Produced by evaporation of material rather than from a fire

• Virtually invisible, discolors paints and varnishes, extreme pungent odor. 

Our Fire Damage Restoration Services

Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions.  We have the equipment, expertise, and experience to restore your fire and smoke damage.  We will also treat your family with empathy and respect and your property with care.

Have Questions about Fire, Smoke, or Soot Damage?
Call Us Today – (800) 630-7119

How to Keep Your Valuables Safe From Fire Damage

5/24/2021 (Permalink)

Fireproof Safe

First Step: Fireproof Safety Box. We know how important it is to keep your belongings safe. The first step in keeping your valuables and important documents safe is purchasing a fireproof safety box. This box will make sure your items stay secure in case of a fire. Items you might store in your safety box include:   

• Birth certificate
• Social Security cards
• Property titles
• Spare keys
• Digital hard drives containing family photos
• Jewelry  

What SERVPRO Can Do. If your home does suffer from a fire, SERVPRO can help make it “Like it never even happened.” SERVPRO of Branch and South Calhoun specializes in restoring contents damaged by fire. Our expertise and “restore” versus “replace” mentality can help you save money while preserving precious keepsakes that can’t be replaced. 

Ask The SERVPRO Experts: What Damage Is Most Common After A Fire?

1/3/2021 (Permalink)

It’s usually not the actual fire that does the most damage to a home from a house fire. What causes the most damage to homes that suffered a fire is the smoke from the fire and the water from the firefighters. Below we will cover common damages that occur in a home after a fire.

Where You’ll Find Most Damage from a Fire

Obviously, you’ll find the most damage to a home at the source of the fire. In the case of a stovetop fire, this would be around the range hood, back wall, and ceiling above. In the case of a space heater igniting a curtain, the damage would be around the curtain and on the ceiling above the curtain.

While there will be flame damage right near the source, the majority of the damage will be from the smoke of the fire. If you’ve ever blown out a candle or roasted marshmallows over an open fire, you’ll know that smoke rises. When a fire occurs in your home, the smoke will also rise up and to the ceiling. If the fire is near a wall you might see discoloration up the wall with most of the discoloration right above the source of the fire on the ceiling.

As the fire continues to create more smoke, the smoke will spread across the ceiling and look for a place to escape and go higher. This could be up a stairwell or through ceiling vents. If the smoke has no place to go any higher, it will start to build up and start to come down closer to the floor like a fog. With smoke having the tendency to go up, this is why they say to get nearest to the ground when escaping a fire since there is usually less smoke.

The last area where you’ll most of the smoke damage from a fire is around windows and doors. As the smoke builds up in a house, it looks for the easiest place to escape outside. While this could be a chimney, smoke will also slip out through any cracks or drafts in windows and doors. In homes that suffer a lot of damage, you’ll usually find heavy discolorations around drafty doors and windows.

The Two Variables That Can Spread the Smoke Even Further

While we’ve discussed the typical behavior of smoke from a fire and where you’ll typically find the most damage, there are two variables that can change the behavior of the smoke and help carry it and the damage it causes even further throughout your home. The two things that can help spread the smoke even further are your ceiling fans and your central HVAC system. If your ceiling fans are on or your HVAC blower is on, then the smoke can be blown and carried throughout the house.

If your HVAC system is running then the smoke will most likely enter through the return vents and be spread throughout the duct system. This will not only carry the smoke and the smoke damage throughout the house, it will also cause smoke damage to your ducts. Your ducts might have dust throughout the system which can absorb the smoke meaning every time your air conditioner or heater turns on, you’ll smell the residual smoke for weeks and months after the fire. To remove the smoke from your ducts and HVAC system, you’ll need to have them professionally cleaned.

Battling Discoloration and Odor from Smoke

As you’ve read above, the most damaging part of a fire is usually the smoke. Smoke can discolor any surfaces it comes into contact with. This can include ceilings, walls, and floors but also furniture, clothes, toys, and other household objects. The smoke can seep through every little tiny crack and space discoloring everything in its path.

The second thing that smoke can do to many surfaces of your home is leave an odor. While surfaces that are smooth and not porous can be cleaned easily, the smoke odor can easily embed into porous surfaces like fabric furniture, clothes, curtains, carpets, sheets, electronics and non-sealed wood.

How to Clean Up Fire and Smoke Damage

Cleaning up after a fire, even a small one, isn’t as easy as cleaning up a spilled glass of liquid off the floor. Due to the chemical properties of fire and smoke, removing the discoloration can be difficult if not impossible in some situations. Removing the smoke odor can be even more difficult especially when dealing with electronics, fabric furniture, carpeting, and clothes.

The best step to take if you should regrettably experience a fire in your Indianapolis-area home is to call the fire damage repair and restoration experts at SERVPRO have the knowledge and equipment to remove all the fire and smoke damage and restore your home to how it was prior to the fire. They are a trusted leader in the restoration industry that business owners and homeowners have turned to for years restore and repair their property.

When Your Home Has A Fire It Can Be Devastating, but SERVPRO Is Here For You!

1/3/2021 (Permalink)

In the article below we will go over statistics on house fires as reported in the U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) by the fire departments throughout the country. The stats come from the residential fire incident reports from 2013-2015.

Residential Fires are the Second Most Common Fire

Residential fires, which include single-family homes, apartments, and condos, account for 30% of all fires reported. Businesses account for 8% and vehicles account for 15%, while outside fires (forest fires, grass fires, etc.) accounted for 41% of all fires. While home fires accounted for only 30% of all fires, they resulted in the most injuries, deaths, and dollar loss from property damage.

The Leading Cause of House Fires

Have you ever left something on the stove for too long that resulted in a small confined fire? Apparently, many of us have by the stats from the U.S. Fire Administration’s report. Cooking fires accounted for an astounding 50% of all house fires that occurred between 2013-2015. Cooking fires originated in ovens, on stovetops, and in microwaves. Most of these fires were contained to the food container (skillet, pot, cooking sheet) and were extinguished before the fire had time to spread.

The second leading cause of house fires is from heating equipment. Heating equipment includes space heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and radiators. These fires account for close to 12% of all house fires. These fires, like cooking fires, can be easily prevented by not leaving a fire in a fireplace or wood stove unattended and keeping flammable objects at least three feet away from heat sources. If you use space heaters, be sure to turn them off before leaving the room or going to sleep.

Other leading causes of house fires include appliance fires, candles, smoking, and electrical malfunctions. All of these together only account for 16% of all fires. Fires from smoking and candles are usually due to carelessness while appliance and electrical fires are due to damaged equipment or overloaded circuits. With appliances and electronics, it’s always good to check the cords for damage or frays. Also, never overload a wall outlet with an excessive amount of appliances and equipment.

The Spread of Fires in Homes

Fortunately, most fires in homes are discovered quickly and extinguished before they spread. Around 55% of all fires are contained to the object that the fire originated at. This could be a pot or an appliance or a piece of fabric like a table cover or chair. While the fire damage is usually limited to the object, the smoke damage can still be substantial. Fires that take over a whole room account for 20% of all fires while fires that take over a whole home account for 17% of all fires. These fires are the most devastating to property and to the health of the occupants.

Be Safe in Your Home with Working Smoke Alarms

One of the keys to catching a fire early and extinguishing it before it has caused extensive damage is to have properly working smoke alarms located throughout your home. According to the report, smoke alarms were only present in 43% of nonconfined house fires. Nonconfined fires are fires that spread from their original confined source i.e. cooking pot. While smoke alarms will not prevent a fire, they serve as an early warning device to alert the occupants that a fire is occurring. A smoke alarm gives them time to either extinguish the confined fire or evacuate and call the fire department if the fire is nonconfined.

It a Fire Should Occur at Your Indiana Home, Call the Fire Restoration Professionals

Even a small little kitchen fire can cause a lot of smoke damage. Whether you have experienced a small fire or an extensive fire, the fire restoration experts at SERVPRO can help clean up, repair and get your home back to normal as quickly as possible. They have the tools, equipment, and know-how to handle smoke damage, water damage, mold damage and fire damage -- all of which can occur from a house fire. Whether a fire happens during the day or in the middle of the night, you can call SERVPRO 24/7 to handle your home’s emergency.

What you need to know about fire extinguisher safety

12/19/2020 (Permalink)

All of us at SERVPRO hope you never have a fire. If the worst happens, we are experts in cleaning the damage left by smoke and fire in your home or office.

Fire extinguishers may help prevent fire damage or smoke damage, but only if you know how to use them.

SERVPRO wants to share these tips from FEMA. You can try to fight a small fire only if:

• You have alerted others in the building that there is a fire
• Someone has called the fire department
• You are physically able to use a fire extinguisher
• The fire is small and contained (like a wastebasket)
• You are safe from the fire’s smoke
• You have a clear escape route

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher: SERVPRO suggests you remember PASS:

Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you and release the locking mechanism.

Aim at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.

Sweep the nozzle side to side.

If you see a small fire at your place of business or home, and you think you can take care of it yourself, use these tips above. If you have any worries, you and everyone should leave the building and call 9-1-1 when you are safe, outside.

Links:

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/extinguishers.html

The Devastating Effects Of Smoke Damage

12/19/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke is a common issue when homes contend with fire loss incidents. While smoke is not always the first symptom addressed, especially in situations where severe structural damage has occurred, it is still a challenging obstacle for even seasoned restoration specialists to overcome to return your property to preloss condition. Our technicians have unique training and experience in this department, both receiving training to obtain accreditation from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) organization and years of hands-on experience in the field recovering fire loss situations.

We understand that there is no time to waste when mitigating and restoring fire damage in homes, and that is why our professionals stay prepared for these emergencies 24 hours a day. With advanced equipment to address smoke damages, we can clean up both residues and remove lingering odors permanently that exist in open spaces and what has permeated into materials near to the ignition site.

Fabrics are naturally absorbent to smoke odors and charring scents that exist after fires have gotten extinguished in your house. The Contents Department of our SERVPRO team can go through the property in our initial inspection and remove many of these at-risk items and belongings to better protect them from these harsh odors and lingering effects like soot and smoke residues. Additionally, this process can help to introduce these removed items to efficient deodorization processes to thoroughly remove these smells from the items.

For fabrics and soft materials that must remain in place, we can both protect these areas from direct exposure with containment, but also have effective solutions to remove harsh smells that already exist. From our UV and thermal foggers to our ozone machines, we have advanced tools to address odors on site. We can also utilize dry cleaning equipment and processes to clean soot/smoke residues and help to reduce the presence of these odors.

While there are many effects to contend with after a fire moves through your home, our SERVPRO professionals have the training and tools to handle it. Give our professionals a call! We are faster to any disaster and we will make things  “Like it never even happened.”.

The Importance Of Being Fire Prepared

12/14/2020 (Permalink)

Fires at your home or business can be a very difficult and stressful experience. In most cases the fire starts without notice. Each year more than 2,500 people die and 12,600 are injured in home fires in the United States. This number could drop significantly if we would prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

A big problem that we see, is that the average person has the attitude that it will never happen to them. Which is the worst attitude to have when it comes to any form of disaster. Here at SERVPRO we urge the people in our community to prep homes and businesses for any type of unannounced disasters, especially fires. They come on quickly, with hardly any warning and can destroy everything if not properly put out by your local fire department. Here at SERVPRO of we strive to make it "Like it never even happened."   

So give us a call! We are faster to any disaster and are here ready to put our experience to work for you! 

SERVPRO Tips: The Smoke Damage After the Fire

12/23/2019 (Permalink)

When a fire happens to your commercial property there's a lot to handle in the aftermath. One aspect that is not immediately obvious is the task of smoke cleaning. This is an important step that should not be skipped, so be sure to add it to your to-do list.

What It Harms

Smoke damage doesn't just mean seeing some dark smudges on the ceiling. Smoke and soot spread quickly and can manifest on almost everything in your building. It will affect different items and surfaces in different ways. Some common problem areas can include:

• electronics
• documents
• furniture
• fabric materials
  
  

How It's Cleaned

Depending on what needs cleaning, there can be a method for every scenario. Specific items, such as those listed above, each require their own customized type of smoke cleaning, that should be conducted by a qualified remediation specialist. Surfaces such as walls and solid furniture can handle a process of dry to wet cleaning. For upholstery and fabric than will shrink if exposed to wet cleaning, there is an option called foam cleaning. Immersive cleaning is a form of wet cleaning in which smaller objects can be totally sunk into a cleaning solution. The list goes on for many more categories.

How It's Reported

If you've hired a smoke odor and cleaning service, they most likely can help you with your insurance claim, as well. You will probably need to inventory all your content that has been damaged by fire or smoke, and gather all you can to verify each item's value. Then you can contact your insurance to determine your coverage. If you don't already have coverage, this moment would also be a good time to consider adding it.

Fire damage is a dynamic problem that needs to be approached from multiple angles. One of these angles that shouldn't be dismissed is that of smoke cleaning. Smoke damage can hinder functionality and cause a strong odor. Give it proper attention for a complete rehabilitation of your commercial property.

So give us a call! We are faster to any disaster and ready to put our experience to work for you! 

A SERVPRO Announcement: Play it safe this Fireworks Season!

6/18/2019 (Permalink)

Don't Forget About Fire!

12/11/2018 (Permalink)

Fall and winter weather, coupled with seasonal holiday heating, cooking and decorations, typically brings about an increase in residential fire frequency.  SERVPRO of Branch and South Calhoun County fire damage restoration experts realize that people have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home before it's too late to get out.  In a matter of moments, a small flame can become a major fire, making it critical to be prepared with an escape plan in place.  Once a plan is developed, it is critical everyone in the home understands the plan; the best way to do this is by practicing the escape plan at least twice a year.

Working smoke detectors along with building and practicing a home escape plan increase your chance of surviving a fire.  The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) promotes steps to help you develop an emergency escape plan.  Simply having a plan for your home or business is not enough.  Your family and employees must be fully aware of the plan and practice it on a regular basis.

Preventing Fires

12/6/2018 (Permalink)

October is Fire Prevention Month, and it is a perfect time to examine emergency preparedness plans for your home and business.  The 2016 theme for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is "Don't Wait - Check the Date!  Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years." 

According to the NFPA in 2014 fires caused 2,745 deaths, 11,825 injuries and $6.8 billion in property damage.  Roughly half of home fire deaths occur in fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.  Smoke alarms save lives!  In fact, having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire, in half!  When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected or dead.  Check your smoke alarms today to ensure your safety!

Fire Prevention Month

11/29/2017 (Permalink)

October is Fire Prevention Month, and it is a perfect time to examine emergency preparedness plans for your home and business.  The 2016 theme for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is "Don't Wait - Check the Date!  Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years."  According to the NFPA in 2014 fires caused 2,745 deaths, 11,825 injuries and $6.8 billion in property damage.  Roughly half of home fire deaths occur in fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.  Smoke alarms save lives!  In fact, having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire, in half!  When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected or dead.  Check your smoke alarms today to ensure your safety!