Change smoke alarm batteries
Put in the battery printed on the alarm, seat the unit, and hold Test until the horn sounds.
Tools you need
- The battery type printed on the alarm
- A fresh battery
- A sturdy step stool
Steps
Read the replace-by date on the alarm before you climb. If that date has passed, the whole alarm is due, not just the cell. If the unit is wired into the house and the connector looks damaged, stop.
Set the stool on a flat floor. Twist the alarm off its mounting plate, or open the battery door the way the cover shows.
Match the new battery to the marks inside, positive to positive. A 9-volt snaps onto the clip. AA cells sit in the tray.
Close the door or twist the alarm back onto the plate until it sits flush.
Tell people in the home, then press and hold Test until the horn sounds.
If it chirps again after a minute, check that the battery is seated the right way. A chirp that continues with a correct new battery means the alarm itself is done.
Other jobs
Steps written by Sureno. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.