Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. Sunday morning on March 10, 2013 and it means an extra hour of light in the evenings. An hour of sleep is lost due to the time change, but the days will be a lot brighter through the spring and summer months.
According to a March 9 report by the Washington Post, it's a good time to change batteries in warning devices, such as smoke detectors and hazard warning radios. Carbon monoxide detectors are another device that should have fresh new batteries replaced.
In addition to making sure new batteries are installed in the household safety devices, another report advises cleaning smoke detectors. Dust may prevent them from working properly, so vacuuming them is a wise thing to do.
Smoke and fire alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
Daylight saving time is not observed in certain parts of the United States. Those include Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas don't participate in daylight saving time, either.
Since the time change begins when most people are already asleep, it's better to change the clocks an hour ahead before going to bed. Having the clock read an accurate time is a nice convenience when waking up Sunday morning.
Daylight saving time ends Nov. 3, 2013.
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