How to Check Your Smoke Detectors and What to Look For

By installing smoke detectors, you can save a lot of money on property damage each year, which more than makes up for their low price. Regular checks should be done on the smoke detectors to make sure they are working well. You should test your smoke detectors according to the instructions that came with them. Let's get to the point about how residential electrician Sydney checks your smoke alarms. 

Is there a certain way that smoke detectors should be tested? 

Before committing to running tests, it's important to know how often they will be done. Fire departments recommend that alkaline batteries in smoke alarms be changed once or twice a year and that the alarms be tested once a month. The model of a smoke alarm is important information that should never be overlooked. AC-powered smoke detectors are more reliable than those that run on batteries, so you don't have to test them as often. 

A How-To Guide for Testing Smoke Detectors 

Most homeowners are comfortable testing their own smoke detectors, but if you don't feel up to it or have been told not to, give us a call and we'll be happy to do it for you. Here are some easy steps you can take to check your smoke alarms: 

Make sure everyone in the house and the security company knows about the tests before you do them. When working properly, smoke alarms make loud noises that may scare the people in the building. Put someone in the house in the farthest room so that if they hear anything, they can yell for help. 

Just click the test button to try it out. If you push the test button on a smoke detector, it will start working. On more recent models, lights that flicker or stay on show that there is power. 

Even if you don't press the test button, the alarm will go off if smoke gets into the chamber. You can use aerosol sprays or the smoke from three burned matchsticks to check if the sensors are working. 

Point the can in the direction of the sensors to spray the non-flammable substance close to them. You can also gently blow the smoke from the matchsticks toward the detectors. Never use a real flame, because it could damage the smoke detector's wiring. If your alarm goes off, it means it is working right. 

It's important to make sure that no dirt or dust is blocking the detector's openings and sensors. You don't have to wipe the smoke alarm clean. Instead, you can use a vacuum to get rid of dust and other particles. 

Follow the same steps for any other smoke detectors you may have. 

Both hardwired and battery-powered smoke detectors may need to be tested with a bit more care. Since hardwired devices get their power from your home's electrical system, you need to be extra careful not to start a real fire. When testing AC-powered smoke detectors, don't touch any wires that are sticking out. A multimeter can be used to test the detector's electrical integrity. Disconnect the siren's wire to stop it from going off by accident. 

Never test a smoke alarm without first reading the manual or talking to the company that made it. If you're not sure what to do, you can always talk to a professional installer. 

Smoke detectors that don't work right 

It is important to test your smoke detectors so that they will work well in an emergency. Like any other technology, the sensors will get worse and have problems as time goes on. Here are some of the problems that happen most often. 

The detector will sound an alarm when the battery runs out. When the alarm goes off, it's time to change the batteries. Hardwired smoke detectors will never stop working because they don't have enough power, unless the wires themselves aren't sending enough. The backup batteries in the ones that are hardwired should also be changed. 

If there's a fire, a broken detector might either beep all the time or not sound at all. If you have a security alarm system, it is likely connected to the smoke detectors. If the alarm is being watched by a third party, a technician may need to come out. 

The US Fire Administration says that detectors should be changed out every ten years. After ten years, it might be cheaper to buy a whole new set of smoke detectors than to keep testing and replacing their parts. 

Make sure your smoke detectors are in good shape. 

A smoke detector can stop working if its sensors are broken or if it has a short circuit. House fires are a major cause of death and property loss in Dallas and Fort Worth.