Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Testing the Sensor's Functionality
• Part 2 of 3: Proper Fire Alarm Maintenance
• Part 3 of 3: Compliance with Fire Safety Regulations
• Tips
• Warnings

On average, about eight thousand people die as a result of fires in Russia per year. Although this figure is still quite high, the widespread adoption of home smoke detectors has significantly reduced the number of deaths and injuries from fires. Installing a smoke detector is an easy and inexpensive way to protect yourself and your loved ones in a dangerous situation. However, it is important to remember that such a fire alarm will only help if it functions properly. Without proper maintenance, detectors can fail at the most inopportune moment.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Testing the Sensor's Functionality

1. 1 Warn family members. If you are not going to give everyone a fire drill, you need to warn your household that you will be testing the smoke detectors so that no one gets scared when the alarm goes off.
   • If you have a wired sensor system in your home that is connected to the monitoring system of the fire department, be sure to warn the fire department in charge that you will be checking the alarm. You don't need firefighters to come to you because of a false alarm!
2. 2 Ask someone to help you. During the test, the beep of the triggered sensor will sound loud to your ears, as you yourself will be standing directly under it. However, it is helpful to make sure the signal is loud enough to be heard in any room in your home. Remember that the signal should wake up anyone, even a very soundly asleep person.
   • Ask the assistant to go to the farthest room from the sensor you are checking. Also, the assistant can go outside to check if the alarm is heard from there.
3. 3 Check sensor power supply. Many smoke detectors have a warning light to indicate that the detector is receiving power. However, even with the light on, it will be necessary to press the test button of the sensor in order to check its sound signal. To check, hold down the button for a few seconds.
   • When you press the test button, the alarm should beep. If this does not happen, then the sensor is not receiving power. In this case, you will need to replace the batteries in it or call an electrician to check the connection of the wires (if the alarm is wired).
   • The test button can be reached from a chair or ladder, or you can simply try to reach it with a mop stick or something similar.
   • Some sensors turn off the sound signal on their own after a few seconds, while on others it is necessary to press the test button again.
4. 4 Check the functionality of the smoke sensor with a special aerosol. In addition to checking the power supply, make sure that the smoke detector is working properly. To do this, you can buy an inexpensive aerosol specifically designed to test smoke detectors.If the alarm does not go off when you use this product according to the manufacturer's instructions, the sensor is probably already out of order. In this case, it should be replaced immediately.
   • Follow the directions on the aerosol can.
   • The cost of an aerosol usually ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 rubles, and can be purchased at a hardware store or online.
   • To turn off the alarm after the aerosol test, you can use a small handheld vacuum cleaner to remove the test substance from the sensor. Also, some sensors have an off button that you can press to turn off the beep. Try not to wait for the alarm to deactivate by itself, as this could drain the sensor's batteries.
5. 5 Test the sensor with real smoke. You can also use real smoke to test the sensor. For this purpose, it is necessary to light 2-3 matches and hold them under the sensor at a distance of about a meter from it. The smoke from the matches should trigger the sensor and activate the alarm if it is working properly. If the sensor does not work, replace it immediately.
   • Do not bring burning matches closer than a meter to the sensor, so as not to accidentally melt and damage it.
   • As with aerosol, you can use a handheld vacuum cleaner to remove smoke from the sensor, or press the mute button, if available.
6. 6 Check the sensor at least once a month. In some cases, it is advisable to check the sensors every week. It is definitely best to check them often, so if you can, do it weekly. But if this is not possible, be sure to arrange for scheduled checks on all smoke detectors every month.
   • Regular inspections can quickly identify failed sensors, so your fire alarm will function properly when you need it most.
   • It is more efficient to set aside 30-60 minutes a month to check all the sensors in your home at once than to check each sensor in due time.

Part 2 of 3: Proper Fire Alarm Maintenance

1. 1 Replace smoke detectors in a timely manner. The service life of the sensors before the loss of reliability is ten years. Sensor sensors can wear out or become contaminated with dust and other airborne substances. For this reason, it is important to replace the sensors with new ones every ten years.
   • If you are not sure how old the sensor is, you can usually figure it out by removing it from the ceiling and looking at the rear. This is where the production date is usually indicated.
   • If you cannot find the date on the sensor, replace it.
   • If you have a wired fire alarm, be sure to disconnect the power from the mains before replacing the sensors. To protect yourself, you can call an electrician for this purpose.
2. 2 Clean the sensors. When checking the sensors monthly, you can use a vacuum cleaner, a dust brush, or a soft cloth to remove dust and other debris that may have accumulated on them. In the event of a fire, a contaminated sensor may not work.
   • Do not use cleaning agents to clean the sensor as they may contaminate the sensors. It will be enough to remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner or a cloth.
3. 3 Replace the batteries in the sensors twice a year. If you have a wireless fire alarm installed, then the batteries must be replaced twice a year, even if they are still functional, so that the sensors are always operational when they are needed.
   • Give up the idea of ​​taking batteries from the smoke detector if you suddenly run out of TV remote. Often people do this and then forget to insert new batteries into the sensor.
   • Dispose of old batteries properly. Never throw batteries into the trash can.
   • To replace the batteries, you can create an appropriate reminder for yourself in your phone, which will notify you twice a year.This way you will not forget to replace the batteries in the fire alarm in a timely manner.

Part 3 of 3: Compliance with Fire Safety Regulations

1. 1 Make a fire escape plan for all household members. It is very important that each family member knows what to do in the event of a fire. Take the time to get everyone together and discuss the plan for your home, creating an exit plan that everyone can use in the event of a fire. Also make sure that all family members memorize the fire department's phone number.
   • Try to provide two exits from each room. If the room is on the second floor, consider purchasing an escape ladder that can be hung over the window.
   • Discuss a meeting place outside the house where everyone should gather in the event of a fire. For example, you might arrange to meet at a neighbor's driveway. Mark this location on your escape plan.
   • Assign someone who is unable to get out of the house on their own to provide evacuation assistance. For example, if the family has a baby or an elderly person. Make sure that the designated person in charge understands their responsibilities.
   • If there are small children in the family, hang an evacuation plan in the nursery so that they do not forget where to go in case of fire.
2. 2 Arrange a training evacuation. At least once or twice a year, all family members should have a mock evacuation from all areas of the home. Instruct each household member on what to do when a fire is discovered.
   • For example, if someone sees fire, they should scream or start banging on the walls to warn others.
   • In the event of a fire, instruct family members to feel the doors first before opening them. If the door turns out to be hot, you should look for an alternative escape route as provided in your escape plan.
   • Explain that if there is heavy smoke, crawl out of the building to avoid breathing in carbon monoxide.
3. 3 Make sure doors and windows are not blocked. Check all doors and windows in the house. Are they cluttered with something that will prevent you from getting out through them in the event of a fire? In the event of a fire, you need to have as many different escape options as possible, so make sure nothing prevents you and your loved ones from getting out safely.
   • For example, a tall and heavy cabinet should not block a window. If a fire breaks out, you or someone from the household may not be able to get it out of the way in time.
4. 4 Arrange a fire drill. A fire drill should be triggered at least once. Do not warn anyone that you will trigger a fire alarm so that everyone thinks it is real and not educational.
   • Try to do this when everyone is at home.
   • Everyone should understand that in the event of a fire, there is no need to rush to save things, and after leaving a burning house, you cannot return to it under any circumstances.
5. 5 Make sure you provide yourself with adequate protection. Having one smoke detector for the whole house is probably not enough, unless you live in a one-room apartment. Even though you have more trouble, there should be more than one smoke detector in your home so that the alarm can protect everyone in the house. It is desirable that the sensors are interconnected and when one of them is triggered, all of them begin to sound at once.
   • Install smoke detectors on all levels of your home, including the basement and attic (if you have one).
   • Install smoke detectors in every room. It also does not hurt to install them at the exit from all bedrooms.

Tips

• Most fire alarm manufacturers recommend weekly testing of smoke detectors. To do this, just press the test button. Test the sensors with a special aerosol several times a year to ensure that the air flow through the detector is normal.
• Wear earplugs when testing your alarm.It has a very shrill signal, and you will be standing very close to the speaker at the time of the test.
• If the smoke detector beeps intermittently, then the batteries must be replaced.
• If you have a battery-powered wireless alarm, be sure to test it for functionality after each battery change.
• Some countries may have specific laws on how to dispose of old, damaged smoke detectors. Please familiarize yourself with the local waste disposal regulations in the country where you live and dispose of old sensors according to their regulations.
• If you have moved into an apartment with already installed fire alarms and sensors of unknown expiration date, look at their back. There may be a production date by which the useful life of the sensors can be calculated. If you cannot find the date, replace the sensors as soon as possible.
• If you are going to do anything dusty, try covering the smoke detector with a plastic bag until you are done. This will prevent dust from getting inside the sensor. Remember to remove the bag when you're done.

Warnings

• The test button on the smoke detector only checks the power supply to the detector.
• Not use candles or a censer to check the sensor. Smoke emitted from these can contain oily substances that can contaminate the sensor and reduce its sensitivity.
• Never try to decorate the smoke detector (including the outer cover) with paints, stickers or pendants, etc. This can negatively affect its performance.
• Smoke detectors are only audible warning devices that cannot eliminate the source of the hazard. To survive a fire, you and your loved ones must take care of yourself. Make an evacuation plan, discuss it with everyone in the household (including children), and arrange for an evacuation practice.