Making sure your smoke detectors are working properly is an important part of homeowner maintenance and safety. It is recommended to check the batteries at least twice a year, near daylight savings time.

Tools You’ll Need:

• Flathead Screwdriver
• Ladder (Note: make sure your ladder is placed on a stable surface before climbing. Use responsibly.)
• 9 Volt Battery (May vary depending on your smoke detector)

How to Change the Batteries in Your Smoke Detector:

• Safely use a ladder to reach the smoke detector and unscrew the body from its base.
• Use a screwdriver to pop the tab to disconnect the wiring and release the body.
• Locate the battery compartment and remove current battery. Replace with a fresh battery and close the compartment. Your smoke detector should beep to indicate the battery has been properly installed.
• To reconnect the wiring, click the tab into the slot and screw the smoke detector body back onto its base.
• To ensure everything is properly reinstalled, hold the TEST button for several seconds until beeps are heard throughout the house. This should cause the smoke detector to go off and signal other detectors to go off as well. (Note: it might be loud!)

If this is done successfully, everything is working properly. If not, make sure all wires are connected and the battery is correctly installed.

For a full tutorial, check out this video on our YouTube channel. For more homeowner tips, be sure to subscribe to see all of our content.