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Turn Clocks Back, Yawn, Then Change Batteries

Here is the good news: When you wake up Sunday morning, it will probably be light outside. The bad news? When you leave work on Monday, it will probably be dark.

At 2 a.m. Nov. 6, many sleepy Americans will turn back their clocks one hour, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time. But you might consider saving some shut-eye and resetting clocks before you go to bed.

From 1986 to 2006, Daylight Saving Time was observed from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. In 2005, President George W. Bush signed into law a broad energy bill that extended Daylight Saving Time by four weeks beginning in 2007. Daylight Saving Time is now observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, adding about a month of longer days.

Technology now allows most electronic devices – computers, cellphones and tablets – to adjust the times themselves. But smoke and carbon monoxide detectors still need a human touch, and Daylight Saving Time is the perfect opportunity to change their batteries.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 16 million homes in the United State have malfunctioning smoke alarms, mostly because of dead or missing batteries. The commission recommends that consumers test each smoke alarm in their home every month to make sure it is working properly and change batteries at least once a year.

So, why not Sunday? You’ll have an extra hour on your hands to do so.

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