Daylight saving time will require a time change soon, but later than it has been for the past 20 years.

From now on, or at least until the next time it’s changed, Americans will set their clocks an hour back on the first Sunday of November and them an hour ahead on the second Sunday of March. President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 back in 2005 making those changes, according to http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b.html.

This year, Americans should set their clocks back an hour on Nov. 4, at about 2 a.m., according to the site. That time was chosen because it is late enough not to affect businesses, trains and other functions of society, the site states.

Daylight Saving Time arose from the need to conserve energy, according to http://www.energy.ca.gov/daylightsaving.html#chart. The site states that a large percentage of electricity usage occurs in the evening hours when families are home. Moving the clock in either direction according to season reduces the amount of electricity used.

The site also offers a safety tip for residents to check the batteries in their smoke detectors. Each time they have to change their clocks they should also check the batteries in their smoke detectors as a habit.

Clocks will spring forward one hour the second Sunday of March.