How to properly test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can be crucial to keeping you and your family safe. If the batteries are dead or something has malfunctioned, your family will fail to be alerted in emergency cases. These items must be working correctly. Carry on reading if you’re interested in how to properly test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors!

This is a Safety Task!

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can be your most important household safety items. These devices alert your family in case of a fire or toxic smoke, giving them time to escape. Maintaining them is one of the cheapest and easiest tasks you can do. Without these items working in good condition, you could suffer costly damages, significant injuries, or worst of all, death.

HomeManager classifies this as an Insurance task!

*How much you will save if you do this task yourself & approximately how long it will take to complete the task!

Tasks can be done by: Homeowner, handyman, or electrician

How do you properly test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors?

Here’s how:

Task Steps

Step 1 – Inspect for detectors

Do a walk-around assessment in your home to see where all detectors are located.
A carbon monoxide detector should be located on each floor and in any room with a furnace or fuel-burning source.
Smoke detectors should be located outside/inside every sleeping area, hallways, the basement, outside the kitchen, the family room, or any other location.
When installing additional detectors or new ones, make sure you know what you are doing or call your HomeTeam pro to help you out. You want to make sure they all function correctly. Some permits may be required, so check with local electrical offices.
Now is a good time to take your “before photo” for the task.

Step 2 – Test detectors

For Smoke Detectors:

Make sure to use appropriate ladder safety when using a ladder to service a detector. It may be a good idea to have someone else hold the ladder for you.
Now is a good time to take your “during photo” for the task.
Hold the test button down for a few seconds. If the alarm doesn’t sound, the batteries may need to be changed, or the unit replaced.
It helps to have someone go to the farthest parts of the house to see if they can hear the alarms.

For Carbon Monoxide Detectors:

Hold the test button until you hear two beeps. Once you hear the beeps, release your finger off of the test button.
Now recreate this event, but this time hold the test button down until you hear four beeps.
If the detector is not responding, remove the battery and test it separately. If the detector isn’t responding still with new batteries, it might be a good time to replace it.
Now is a good time to take your “after photo” for the task.
- Tool List: Ladder
- Supply List & Costs: Replacement Batteries

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