How to Clean & Test Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors are your first alert when there is a fire in your home. Many homeowner insurance companies now require working smoke detectors in homes. Smoke detectors typically are installed on the ceilings of interior rooms, where they can blend in with the ceiling color. Often they go unnoticed, unless the battery dies and they begin to chirp. Manufacturers suggest testing smoke detectors once a week to ensure they are working properly, while cleaning may be recommended monthly. Because they are unseen most of the time, it is a good idea to clean smoke detectors when you test them.

Things You'll Need

Canned air
Vacuum cleaner

Upholstery attachment

Instructions

- 1
  Point the nozzle on the canned air away from you and insert the small straw into the nozzle opening. Hold the end of the straw no closer than 1/2 inch away from the smoke detector. Squeeze and release the spray can trigger to spray shots of air. Do not hold the trigger down to spray a steady stream. Spray air between the smoke detector and ceiling and in the smoke detector vents.
- 2
  Place an upholstery brush attachment on your vacuum and gently vacuum around the outside perimeter of the smoke detector. Do not hit the smoke detector with the vacuum cleaner attachment or hose, as striking the detector could damage it.
- 3
  Locate the “Test/Silence” button on your smoke detector. The button is usually located at the bottom center of the unit. Some smoke detectors have the button on the side.
- 4
  Press and hold the “Test/Silence” button for three seconds. The alarm should beep, indicating that the batteries are good and the detector is in working order. If you have several detectors that are hard-wired in your home, listen for them to sound. They should sound within a few seconds of testing a nearby detector.

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