Smoke alarm testing and maintenance

Smoke alarms are the one household device whose failure you may only discover once. The maintenance is trivial — the trick is actually doing it.

The three schedules that matter

• Test monthly. Press and hold the test button until the alarm sounds. Ten seconds per alarm.
• Batteries yearly. Alarms with a replaceable 9-volt backup battery should get a fresh one every year. Many people tie it to a memorable date; a reminder works even better. Alarms with sealed 10-year lithium batteries skip this job entirely.
• Replace every 10 years. Sensors degrade. The manufacture date is printed on the back of the unit — if it’s coming up on 10 years old, replace the alarm, not just the battery.

Rules differ by state

Requirements vary across Australia and have been tightening — Queensland, for example, has been progressively requiring interconnected photoelectric alarms in homes. Check your state’s current rules when you buy or replace alarms, especially for rentals and homes being sold. Whatever the legislation says, the monthly test and 10-year replacement remain good practice everywhere.

Practical tips

• Vacuum around the alarm occasionally — dust and insects cause false alarms and dulled sensors.
• If an alarm chirps, replace the battery immediately, not “on the weekend”.
• When you replace one battery, do them all — future you will lose track otherwise.

Set it once

In Home Heads Up, enable the Test smoke alarms template (monthly by default) and, if your alarms use replaceable batteries, the yearly battery template. The app nudges you at a civilised hour and stays quiet otherwise.

Home Heads Up is a free app for Australian households — no ads, no account. It sends the reminders described here automatically.