How to test smoke alarms
Test every smoke alarm at least once a month, put fresh batteries in every year, and replace each alarm 10 years after the date it was made.
How to do it
- Press and hold the test button on each alarm until it sounds.
- Replace the battery, or the alarm, if it stays silent.
- Make sure everyone at home knows the sound.
- Once a year, put fresh batteries in every alarm that takes them, then test again.
- Check the date on each alarm. Replace any alarm that is 10 years old.
Use a sturdy step stool or ladder to reach ceiling alarms.
Why it matters
A failed alarm gives no warning when a fire starts, and smoke sensors wear out with age.
Sources: National Fire Protection Association, educational messages on smoke alarms, and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, which recommends replacing smoke and carbon monoxide alarm batteries every year and testing the alarms every month.