Routine & Upkeep
The Alarm Test Nobody Does and How Long It Takes
A smoke alarm with a flat battery is a plastic disc on a ceiling. Testing takes about five seconds a month, and the reason people skip it is that nothing ever appears to happen.
This works through smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the order the parts actually depend on each other.
The short version
- Test alarms monthly with the test button rather than assuming they work.
- Alarms have a service life, usually marked on the unit, after which they are replaced.
- Carbon monoxide is odourless, which is why a detector is the only way to know.
Testing, and why the button matters
The test button confirms the sounder, the battery and the circuit are working, which is everything except the sensor chamber itself. Monthly testing is the standard recommendation from fire services in most countries, and it takes seconds. A hard-wired alarm still needs testing, since the backup battery and the sounder can fail independently of the mains supply.
Put a recurring monthly reminder in your phone, because this is precisely the task nobody remembers unaided. If an alarm does not sound when tested, replace the battery, and if it still does not sound, replace the unit.
Batteries and service life
Alarms with replaceable batteries need them changed when the unit chirps or according to the manufacturer's schedule. Sealed long-life units avoid the battery question and still reach the end of their service life eventually.
Smoke alarms have a stated working life, commonly around ten years, after which the sensor degrades and the unit should be replaced. The manufacture or expiry date is usually printed on the body of the alarm, and it is worth checking on a unit you inherited. Never remove the battery to silence a nuisance alarm, since this is a recognised factor in fatal domestic fires.
Placement
Alarms are generally recommended on every level of a home and on escape routes such as hallways and landings. Kitchens and bathrooms cause nuisance alarms from cooking and steam, which is why a heat alarm rather than a smoke alarm is usually specified for a kitchen.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for distance from walls, corners and light fittings, since sensitivity depends on airflow. Never paint an alarm, never cover it and keep it free of dust, which reduces sensor performance. In a flat, the building may also have communal detection, and that does not remove the need for alarms inside your own home.
Carbon monoxide specifically
Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, produced by incomplete combustion in any fuel-burning appliance. That includes gas, oil, coal and wood appliances, boilers, water heaters, fires and some portable heaters.
Once the deposit is down, a carbon monoxide detector is a different device from a smoke alarm and is not interchangeable with one. Place it according to the manufacturer's instructions relative to the appliance, since the correct position differs from smoke alarm guidance.
Requirements for landlords to provide carbon monoxide alarms have been introduced or tightened in many countries, so check your local rules.
If an alarm sounds
For a smoke alarm, get everyone out, stay out and call the emergency number rather than investigating. For a carbon monoxide alarm, open windows and doors, stop using the appliance, leave the property and call the gas emergency number for your country.
Seek medical advice if anyone has symptoms, since carbon monoxide poisoning is treatable and its effects can be serious. Headache, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness and confusion are the common symptoms, and they typically improve when you leave the building. Do not re-enter or use the appliance again until a registered engineer has inspected it and confirmed it is safe.
The wider fire habits
Do not overload sockets, and never run high-power appliances through daisy-chained extension leads. Clear the tumble dryer filter every cycle and do not run washing machines or dryers overnight or while out.
Never leave cooking unattended, since unattended cooking is consistently one of the largest causes of domestic fires. Know your escape route, keep it clear, and keep keys to any locked exit where you can find them in the dark. Report faulty electrical fittings and any burning smell immediately rather than working around them.
The takeaway
Five seconds a month on the test button, check the expiry date on the unit, and never take the battery out to stop the noise.
Living alone is a skill, and every skill looks like luck from outside.
Questions readers ask
Is one smoke alarm enough in a small flat?
Guidance in most countries specifies alarms on escape routes and on each level, so even a small flat usually needs more than one. Check your national fire service guidance, which is free and specific.
Do I need a carbon monoxide alarm in an all-electric flat?
If there is genuinely no fuel-burning appliance and no shared flue, the risk is much lower. Because appliances and building arrangements vary, checking rather than assuming is the sensible approach.
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