How to Test Your Smoke Detector

Testing your smoke detector is as important as brushing your teeth. What's the use of a detector that doesn't work?

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Standard 9-volt Batteries
• Smoke Detectors
• Combination Smoke/carbon Monoxide Detectors

1. Test your smoke detector once a month.

2. Press the test button on your detector and check that the device beeps or rings loudly.

3. Avoid lighting candles under the detector to see if the alarm goes off. Repeated use of smoke to activate detectors can cause them to fail when a real fire occurs.

Tips & Warnings

• If your detector runs on batteries, change them when you change your clocks - at the start and end of daylight-saving time.

• If your smoke detector starts chirping or beeping off and on, it's time to change the batteries.

• You may want to consider purchasing a combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector. These units cost more but are well worth it.

• If a smoke detector goes off, you literally have seconds to respond. There is absolutely no time to gather possessions, pets and possibly even each other. Your best response is to leave your home immediately, gather at your prearranged meeting place and call 911 from a neighbor's home.

• Avoid getting any paint or dust on your smoke detector.

• Make sure the smoke detector you choose has been tested by an independent testing laboratory.

• Replace all detectors after 10 years.