Safety

Test smoke and CO detectors every month.

An alarm that does not sound is just a disk on the ceiling. Home Shield lists this as a monthly task, with a note to replace batteries twice a year.

Download on the App Store

Why monthly

Batteries die. Dust fouls the sensor. A unit gets taken down after cooking smoke and never goes back up. The test button is the only way you know the sounder still works. Once a month is short enough to catch a dead unit before you need it.

Test every detector: hallways, bedrooms, basement, and each carbon monoxide unit near sleeping areas and fuel-burning appliances. Interconnected alarms should all sound from one test. If they do not, that is a repair, not a skip.

Batteries and replacement

Replace user-replaceable batteries at least twice a year, or when the unit chirps.
Sealed 10-year units still get a monthly button test. When they chirp at end of life, replace the whole alarm.
Most smoke and CO alarms are done after about 10 years. The manufacture date is on the back. If there is no date, replace it.

Use alarms listed by a recognized testing lab. Put smoke alarms on each level and inside and outside sleeping rooms. Put CO alarms where people sleep and near furnaces, water heaters, and gas ranges. Do not paint them or stuff them in a drawer after a false alarm.

How to test

Warn anyone in the house. The sound is loud on purpose.
Press and hold the test button until the alarm sounds. For interconnected systems, listen for the others.
If nothing happens, replace the battery and test again. If it still fails, replace the unit.
Vacuum the vents gently if the alarm is dusty. Do not use a solvent or compressed air can at close range.

Aerosol smoke testers exist for a fuller check. The button test is the monthly habit. Canned smoke is optional, not a substitute for replacement on schedule.

What to buy

Use a lab-listed smoke and CO alarm on each level and near sleeping rooms. Replace user-replaceable batteries about twice a year. Product links stay in the app.

The rest of safety in Home Shield

Detectors are the monthly job. The app also tracks fire extinguishers once a year and locks, alarms, and cameras every quarter. See the full schedule.