How to Turn Off Smoke Alarms

Determine that the alarm is false and that there isn't a fire.

Press the "Test/Silence" button on the smoke detector that raised the alarm. The red light emitting diode (LED) will flash every ten seconds. If the alarm is in an interconnected series, the red LED on the other smoke detectors will be off. The alarm will go off. The alarm will sound again if the smoke level increases.

Press the Test/Silence" button again when the smoke detector is in its silence mode within ten minutes of the first press of the button. The device will perform its test, the timer will then reset and the device will stay silent for a further ten minutes.

Survey the building to find a better location for the smoke alarm. Look for somewhere that's not in air streams near kitchens; at least twenty feet from furnaces and water heaters; very damp or humid areas; near bathrooms; dusty, dirty or greasy areas; drafty areas; less than 12-inches from a fluorescent light fixture. Dead air spaces can keep smoke from reaching the alarm. Typical dead air spaces which should be avoided are close to the corners where ceilings and walls meet. Keep the smoke detector 4-inches from a ceiling/wall join and out of the corner.