How to Test Smoke Detectors

When was the last time that you tested the smoke detectors in your home? According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), over 340,000 house fires occur each year in the United States. Smoke detectors, of course, can both prevent and mitigate the effects of fires. While available in different types, smoke detectors are all designed to trigger an audible alarm in the presence of smoke.

Smoke detectors require testing. Maybe the batteries die in a smoke detector, or perhaps the alarm speaker fails. Regardless, you should test the smoke detectors in your home to ensure they work.

Press the Test Button

To test a smoke detector, you just need to press the test button. All smoke detectors have a test button. As the name suggests, it's used for testing purposes. Pressing the test button will trigger the same audible alarm that smoke detectors use in the presence of smoke.

Go around your home while pressing the test button on each smoke detector. If the batteries are dead -- or if the alarm speaker has failed - you may not hear anything after pressing the test button.

Use Smoke Detector Testing Spray

Contrary to common belief, pressing the test button isn't enough to determine whether a smoke detector functions as intended. The test button will only test the smoke detector's alarm functionality; it won't test the smoke detector's ability to detect smoke.

Fortunately, there are products available that you can use to test a smoke detector's ability to detect smoke. They consist of aerosol cans with a special chemical in them. Known as smoke detector tester sprays, they mimic the properties of smoke. You can spray them in front of a smoke detector. If the smoke detector works, it should trigger an audible alarm. If the smoke detector is unable to detect smoke for any reason, it won't respond to the spray.

In Conclusion

When you install smoke detectors, you may expect them to work indefinitely. Smoke detectors, though, can fail. The parts within a smoke detector may fail, or the batteries may simply die. This is why it's a good idea to test the smoke detectors in your home at least once a month. Pressing the test button and using a smoke detector testing spray will give you peace of mind knowing that they work.