City of Iowa City news release

Daylight Saving Time begins: Change your clocks, change your batteries on Sunday

The Iowa City Fire Department would like to remind all residents to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when moving their clocks forward one hour on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Maintaining smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the incidence of injuries or fatalities.

As residents “spring ahead” this year, the Iowa City Fire Department recommends that residents find time to:

• Change the batteries in all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with removable batteries.
• Check 10-year sealed smoke alarms or those with 10-year batteries installed for date of installation of alarm or battery and replace as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Check smoke alarms for date of manufacture – usually located on the back of the alarm. Smoke alarms older than 10 years should be replaced.
• Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors by pushing the test button monthly.
• Develop a fire escape plan that includes two ways out of every room in the house.
• Practice the fire escape plan with your entire family.
• Prepare a home safety kit that includes a working flashlight and fresh batteries.

What to do with old batteries

Don’t throw out your old batteries. Improper disposal of batteries in the regular garbage is a leading cause of landfill fires. Prevent landfill fires and the release of hazardous chemicals in the local environment by properly recycling batteries. A list of battery recycling locations can be found here.