Often the most helpful fire detection tools are the ones that save the most lives, which is the smoke detectors and alarms are so important. However, even if you have multiple sensors installed throughout your property, they are useless unless they work properly. Even if you believe your smoke detectors are on and working, you don’t want to wait until an actual fire starts to find out. You should test your alarms several times yearly to ensure they work as intended. Take a look at the following steps to learn how to test your alarm and fix it correctly. It would be best to let everyone in your home know that you are trying an alarm. You don’t want a member of your family to call the local fire department when there is no fire breakout. Next, you should have someone go to the opposite end of the property to see if they can hear the alarm from the furthest point away from its installation point. Once they are ready, push and hold the test button for a few seconds until the alarm starts going off. If the alarm doesn’t go off, you should first replace the batteries and check to see if the device is on. After doing so, test the alarm again. If it still isn’t working, you may have a faulty machine that needs to be replaced.
Repeat this process with every smoke detector in your home. You should also get a smoke detector test aerosol can and spray near each device. This will let you know whether or not your device will properly detect smoke in the area. Dust and pollutants can impede smoke detector performance, so keep your detectors clean. An occasional light dusting with a dry cloth should easily remove any exterior dust, but you’ll also want to perform deeper cleans annually.
To thoroughly clean the device from the wall or ceiling, remove the power source and the external casing gently. Carefully clear out any collected dust using a vacuum cleaner or a dry cloth—avoiding liquid sprays or cleaners. Once all dust is cleared, you can reassemble the detector and place it on the wall or ceiling.