--- title: Why We Spring Forward Every Year description: "It’s once again time to \"spring forward\" with a seasonal time change! DST brings more daylight to the back half of the day. But how did all this start?" image: https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hubfs/bigstock-Daylight-Saving-Time-dst--Bl-351132959.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/why-we-spring-forward-every-year#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) Mar 12, 2021 10:52:11 AM # Why We Spring Forward Every Year [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/why-we-spring-forward-every-year) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/why-we-spring-forward-every-year) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/why-we-spring-forward-every-year) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/why-we-spring-forward-every-year) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/why-we-spring-forward-every-year) *![bigstock-Daylight-Saving-Time-dst--Bl-351132959](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bigstock-Daylight-Saving-Time-dst--Bl-351132959.jpg?width=1600&name=bigstock-Daylight-Saving-Time-dst--Bl-351132959.jpg)As the snow melts, the temperature climbs and the daylight lasts longer every day, it’s once again time to "spring" the clocks forward an hour! This annual event brings more daylight to the back half of the day, allowing people more opportunities to complete those “to-do” lists.* ## Why Do We Spring Forward Every Year?  The USA has been following this tradition for roughly 100 years. Folks attribute the concept to [Benjamin Franklin](https://www.fi.edu/benjamin-franklin/daylight-savings-time#:~:text=Daylight%20saving%20time%20is%20one,in%20the%20Journal%20de%20Paris.).  A quick history check of Daylight Saving Time (DST) shows several other time change considerations.  George Hudson proposed the idea in 1895 to create more daylight for his work in [entomology](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entomology#medicalDictionary). Hudson wanted to tack on two hours of daylight for his bug work.  Next was William Willett, in 1902, who brought the idea to England’s Parliament. Winston Churchill supported the idea. Still, the government disagreed with Willett’s thinking that the country was wasting daylight.  A couple of years into World War I, Germany put the idea to work, and the world followed. On March 9, 1918, the U.S. took it a step further by adopting daylight saving time and time zones for the country, and the practice continues today, along with the “Fall Back” in autumn to turn the clock back an hour.  ## What’s on Your List of DST To-Dos?  Many people make it a habit on the first day of DST to replace their smoke detectors’ batteries. This habit began in 2012 when the Energizer Bunny™ hopped over to join the International Association of Fire Chiefs in declaring the time change anniversaries as reminders to [check the batteries in our smoke detectors](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/time-change-is-the-reminder-for-home-safety-checks). It’s a good plan. Add it to your to-dos and trust the smoke detector battery is working and won’t start chirping before it's time to "fall back" later in the year.  If even twice a year is more often than you’d like to have to think about your smoke detector, you’ll be glad to know that there are [more and even safer choices available today. ](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/9-volt-vs.-10-year-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors) ## While You Are At It… The following are not “electrical,” but we at [Wilcox Electric](http://wilcox-electric.com) are homeowners, too. Here are some additional time-change hacks to help you out around the house: - It’s a great time to **flip your mattresses** to extend the comfort and the life of your bed. Flip it top to bottom and left to right.  - Once that’s finished, head to the furnace and anything else with a filter (the stove hood.) **Change out your filters** to get the most out of your furnace and other filter-laden things. You’ll save energy and probably money. - **Clear your dryer vents of lint**. Chances are, there’s a lot of it in there. Lint is a fire danger. Clear the vents when you change the filters, replace the batteries, and flip your mattress around.  - Finally, don’t forget to **change your clocks**! *Ready for spring? Wilcox Electric is looking forward with you. [Get in touch today](https://www.wilcox-electric.com/contact), for help with those electrical updates you've been putting off.* [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), [daylight savings time](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/daylight-savings-time) ## Related posts [![It's Time to Check the Smoke Alarms - Smoke Alarm on Ceiling_Wilcox Electric DC](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bigstock-Smoke-Alarm-In-A-Smoky-Room-5617673.jpg?height=200&name=bigstock-Smoke-Alarm-In-A-Smoky-Room-5617673.jpg)](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/its-time-to-check-the-smoke-alarms) [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), [daylight savings time](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/daylight-savings-time), [Safety Measures](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/tag/safety-measures) ## [It's Time to Check the Smoke Alarms!](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/its-time-to-check-the-smoke-alarms) [Wilcox Electric](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/author/wilcox-electric) Mar 30, 2023 8:30:00 AM It's already the end of March, and Daylight Savings Time came to call rather early this year - on... [Read more](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/its-time-to-check-the-smoke-alarms) [![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) [![Wilcox-DC-smoke-detector-battery](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wilcoxsmokedetectorbattery_450x250.png?height=200&name=Wilcoxsmokedetectorbattery_450x250.png)](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/spring-forward-fall-back-check-batteries) [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: Did You Check Batteries?](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/spring-forward-fall-back-check-batteries) [Wilcox Electric](https://blog.wilcox-electric.com/wilcox-electric/author/wilcox-electric) Oct 31, 2019 8:30:00 AM 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/spring-forward-fall-back-check-batteries) --- [![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.