Testing Smoke & Co Sensors

Why Should I Test My Smoke & Co Sensors?

Have you ever taken a battery out of a smoke alarm, just to stop it from beeping? Admittedly, we have too. But we’re smarter now. Smoke alarms save lives (you’re twice as likely to die in a fire if you don’t have smoke alarms), but only when they work. This will be the easiest 5 minutes you’ve ever spent on investing in your safety and protecting you when you’re most vulnerable (when you’re asleep). So let’s go and check this one off the list, shall we?

What Happens If I Don't Test My Smoke & CO Sensors?

Smoke detectors are only useful in a fire—and what are the chances of having a house fire, right? But not knowing if your smoke detectors work is almost as useless as removing them altogether (except, that would be illegal). Over 1 million homes in the US catch on fire each year, and you’re twice as likely to die in yours if you don’t have properly functioning smoke detectors

Carbon monoxide detectors are the other sensor you should be checking as well. Sometimes they’re combined into the same device and sometimes they’re separate. Carbon monoxide is a quiet killer. You can’t smell it or see it, and yet it will put you to sleep to never wake up again. Carbon monoxide, or CO for short, is caused by incomplete combustion in a gas appliance, such as a water heater. (You have one of those, right?)

We don’t endorse gambling, particularly with your life. So let’s get started,

Note: Your smoke detector may come with a red LED flashing light that lets you know the detector is working properly. Of course, it is still prudent to test your detectors anyway, since even this feature can malfunction.

Smoke alarms are required on each floor of your house, in each bedroom, and in hallways outside of bedrooms. If you’re looking for the smoke alarm in your kitchen, keep in mind that they have to be at least 10 feet from the stovetop to avoid false alarms, and they are usually installed far away from windows and doors.

Click here to read about the 7 most overlooked Home Maintenance tasks.

We also have helpful information on the real costs of home ownership as well as important tasks toward properly winterizing your home.