--- title: 9-Volt vs. 10-year Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors description: The smoke alarm battery is beeping. If the every-six-month-battery-check is not working for you, switch to 10-year smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.  image: https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hubfs/bigstock-Insomnia-6628461.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/9-volt-vs.-10-year-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors#main-content) [![Wilcox Electric Logo](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wilcox-blog.png?width=200&height=75&name=wilcox-blog.png)](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/) - [Home](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/) - [About Us](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/about) - [Services](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/electrical-services) - [Smart Home Services](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/smart-home) - [Blog](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric) - [Contact Us](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/contact-us) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Home](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/) - [About Us](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/about) - [Services](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/electrical-services) - [Smart Home Services](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/smart-home) - [Blog](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric) - [Contact Us](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/contact-us) Jan 29, 2021 11:50:38 AM # 9-Volt vs. 10-year Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors [Wilcox Electric](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/author/wilcox-electric) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/9-volt-vs.-10-year-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/9-volt-vs.-10-year-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/9-volt-vs.-10-year-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/9-volt-vs.-10-year-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/9-volt-vs.-10-year-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) *![awakened-by-smoke-alarm-beep-wilcox-electric-dc](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bigstock-Insomnia-6628461.jpg?width=300&name=bigstock-Insomnia-6628461.jpg)We've all been there. It's two in the morning. You've been asleep for a few hours and don't expect to wake until six. Then it happens, so fast you wonder if you imagined it. Beep. You roll over thinking it's nothing and beep. Beep, Beep. Beep. The smoke alarm is chirping like a demented bird hanging out right above the doorway. The battery is dead. And, unless you're wiser than most of us, you need to head to the closest convenience store and buy a 9-Volt battery.* For years, a 9-Volt was the only power option for any smoke detector. We learned to change the battery when we changed the clock twice a year. Everything was fine besides the balancing act on the ladder and failing to keep a spare battery on hand.  Next, smoke detectors were hardwired into homes, with a battery backup. These were an improvement because the batteries were rarely used. Even so, the ladder came out [twice a year](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks), and we changed that little battery.  Carbon monoxide detectors were the next step in the home protection business. These also had a 9-Volt battery that needed changing every six months.  Another step was the switch from a 9-Volt battery to two or three AA batteries. The best part of this improvement was AA batteries provide as much as 2-3 times the amount of power as a 9-Volt. Now the whole process of keeping your house safe from fire or deadly gas leaks has been simplified. You can get a combination unit with a sealed-in battery that lasts for ten years, with zero maintenance. [Imagine how safe you'll feel](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/home-safety-resolutions-for-the-new-year) knowing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are problem-free for ten years.  ## **Do I Need to Monitor for Smoke and Gas 24/7?** The short answer? Yes. You really need to monitor for smoke and carbon monoxide all the time. An increase in carbon monoxide inside your home could become fatal. House fires decrease the oxygen in a room, so the carbon monoxide increases. Any of your [fuel-burning appliances can develop CO problems](https://molekule.science/where-does-carbon-monoxide-come-from-in-a-home/). The gas has no smell, no taste, and nothing to alert you to its presence. Even with the legal requirements to have safety alarms like battery operated smoke detectors and CO detectors in every dwelling type, people still fail to install and maintain them.  The truth is that as far as we have come in understanding safety, three out of five people who die from home fires die in a house with no working smoke alarms. In other words, maintaining your smoke alarm decreases your chance of death by fire in that building by 60%.  If an alarm can increase your survival chances by 60%, it is worth maintaining. Wilcox Electric can help you decide if a 9-Volt, AAs, or a ten-year smoke and carbon monoxide detector is best for your home.  ## **Are 9-volt, AA, and 10-year Combo Detectors Different Alarms?** The short answer is no. Any one of these will set off a terrifying screech when it detects too much smoke or CO in the air. The important thing is knowing that the beep could save lives. If the every-six-month-battery- check is not working well for you, the switch to a 10-year unit could make a lot of sense.  [Get in touch with Wilcox Electric, today](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/contact), and start sleeping soundly again soon.   [Smoke detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/smoke-detectors), [Carbon monoxide detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/carbon-monoxide-detectors) ## Related posts [![Wilcox Electric DC reminder to change batteries in smoke and CO detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bigstock-Pretty-Woman-Standing-Near-Rep-456143177.jpg?height=200&name=bigstock-Pretty-Woman-Standing-Near-Rep-456143177.jpg)](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/note-to-self-its-time-to-check-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) [Smoke detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/smoke-detectors), [Carbon monoxide detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/carbon-monoxide-detectors), [Upgrading Smoke Detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/upgrading-smoke-detectors), [Lithium battery-powered smoke detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/lithium-battery-powered-smoke-detectors), [Lithium battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/lithium-battery-powered-carbon-monoxide-detectors), [Upgrading Carbon Monoxide Detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/upgrading-carbon-monoxide-detectors) ## [Note to Self: It’s Time to Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors!](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/note-to-self-its-time-to-check-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) [Wilcox Electric](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/author/wilcox-electric) Nov 2, 2023 8:00:00 AM The days are getting shorter, and the leaves are falling fast, sure signs that the end of daylight... [Read more](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/note-to-self-its-time-to-check-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) [![Wilcoxsmokedetectorbattery_450x250](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wilcoxsmokedetectorbattery_450x250.png?height=200&name=Wilcoxsmokedetectorbattery_450x250.png)](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks) [Smoke detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/smoke-detectors), [Carbon monoxide detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/carbon-monoxide-detectors) ## [Spring Forward, Fall Back, Change Batteries!](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks) [Wilcox Electric](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/author/wilcox-electric) Mar 7, 2019 4:50:55 PM Daylight Savings Time can be more than just a quick change of the clocks. Many use the “spring... [Read more](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks) [![change-smoke-CO2-batteries-with-time-change-wilcox-electric-dc](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wilcoxsmokedetectorbattery_450x250.png?height=200&name=Wilcoxsmokedetectorbattery_450x250.png)](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks-0) [Smoke detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/smoke-detectors), [Carbon monoxide detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/carbon-monoxide-detectors) ## [ICYMI - Spring Forward, Fall Back, Change Batteries!](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks-0) [Wilcox Electric](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/author/wilcox-electric) Mar 5, 2020 4:22:39 PM This article was originally published in March of 2019. We bring it back ahead of the time change... [Read more](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks-0) --- [![Wilcox Electric Footer Logo](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/wilcox-blog-1.png?width=200&height=75&name=wilcox-blog-1.png "Wilcox Electric Footer Logo")](http:///) 5602 Tuxedo Road Hyattsville, MD 20781 wilcox@wilcox-electric.com 301-583-8888 // 202-546-1010       Copyright © 2023 Wilcox Electric.