Conducting smoke alarm maintenance in a home in Greer

Don’t Compromise on Safety: Your Smoke Alarm Maintenance Checklist

Fire Restoration

When it comes to fire safety in your home, smoke alarms are indeed lifesavers. These small devices can detect a fire quickly and give you and your loved ones vital extra seconds to escape a blaze. But simply installing a smoke alarm and forgetting about it isn’t enough. Regular smoke alarm maintenance ensures that your smoke alarm will work when you need it to. Fortunately, testing a smoke alarm is a quick and easy process that can give you peace of mind and potentially save lives. Here are the steps you need to take to test your smoke alarm today.

A man conducts smoke alarm maintenance in his Greer home.
Ensuring that your fire alarm is functioning properly could help save your life in the future.

How to Conduct Smoke Alarm Maintenance and Testing

  • First, let everyone in your household know you are performing smoke alarm maintenance. Additionally, if your smoke alarm connects to your home security system, notify the security system company in advance that you are testing the smoke alarm.
  • Have someone stand in the room farthest away from the alarm you are testing to ensure they can hear it elsewhere in the home. If they can hear it go off, you are well-protected. Also, have someone go outside the house to observe the alarm sound outdoors.
  • When everyone is ready, use a sturdy chair or ladder to reach the alarm. Locate the test button, then push and hold it for a few seconds to trigger the alarm. The detector is not sufficiently powered if you don’t hear the alarm. If this is the case, try replacing the batteries or call an electrician if the alarm is hardwired. The alarm may also malfunction, so you may need to replace it. If the alarm sounds, it will automatically turn off after a few seconds, or you may need to push the test button again, depending on your type of alarm.
  • Besides conducting manual smoke alarm maintenance, check that the alarm’s sensors are working. Use an aerosol smoke detector tester and spray it toward the alarm; it should go off after a few seconds. If it remains silent, replace it. However, ensure that your smoke alarm’s “silence” button hasn’t been activated accidentally and that no dust or debris is blocking its grates.
  • Using real smoke to test the alarm is also an excellent way to check that the sensors will work properly when a real fire occurs. Light two or three matches at least two feet underneath the detector. If the alarm doesn’t trigger, replace it immediately.
You may need to change your smoke alarm’s batteries as part of routine maintenance.

The United States Fire Administration recommends replacing your smoke alarms ten years from the manufacture date. Batteries should be replaced annually. Find out more facts about smoke alarms and usage tips in this article. 

Dealing With Fire Damage? PuroClean of Greer Has Your Back!

When fire strikes, it can leave behind devastating damage and put your life on hold. That’s why having a reliable partner by your side is essential during this tough time. PuroClean of Greer is here to support you throughout the fire damage restoration process. Our team is highly experienced and equipped with state-of-the-art tools to handle fire damage in Greer. We offer a wide range of services to remediate your residential or commercial property as quickly and efficiently as possible. Call us today at (864) 565-7500.

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