Electrical & safety
Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm maintenance
Routine testing and timely replacement help keep life-safety alarms dependable.
Recommended timingTest monthly
What to do
- Press and hold each alarm's test button until it sounds.
- Vacuum dust from exterior openings without opening the alarm.
- Replace removable batteries when the unit chirps and at the interval stated by the maker.
- Replace smoke alarms at 10 years; replace carbon-monoxide alarms at the labeled end-of-life date.
- Confirm alarms are present in the locations required by current local guidance.
If an alarm sounds and you suspect smoke or carbon monoxide, leave the home and call emergency services from outside.
Official guidance and sources
Product instructions and local requirements take priority for the equipment or material installed at your home.