Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every month

Press the test button on each smoke and carbon monoxide alarm every month. Follow the maker’s steps for batteries and end-of-life signals. Federal fire guidance says to replace a smoke alarm 10 years after its manufacture date. Replace a carbon monoxide alarm on the maker’s schedule. Never leave an alarm off after a chirp or a cooking nuisance.

California requires approved smoke alarms in homes meant for people to live in. A separate law covers carbon monoxide devices in existing dwelling units. It applies when the unit has a heater or appliance that burns fossil fuel, a fireplace, or an attached garage.

The building type and local code can affect where an alarm goes and how it gets power. They can also affect rental duties and upgrades tied to a permit. The smoke-alarm law expressly does not cover manufactured homes or mobilehomes. Those homes have separate Department of Housing and Community Development rules.

A full alarm is not the same as a maintenance chirp. For smoke or fire, get everyone outside. Call 911 and stay out. For a carbon monoxide alarm, move everyone into fresh air. Do the same for signs such as headache, dizziness, nausea, or confusion. Call 911 or the fire department. Stay outside until responders say it is safe.