Smoke detectors and smoke alarms are complex, specialized devices that are also relatively inexpensive, so when one starts acting up, the first thing to consider is throwing it out and buying a new one. However, there are many things you can do to save yourself some money, time, and trash. You can fix it!

How Does It Work?

First, carefully remove the smoke detector's cover.

A smoke detector is a small device that sounds an alarm when it senses smoke or fire. There are two kinds of smoke detectors--photoelectric and ionization. Photoelectric units throw out a beam of light that, if broken by smoke will trigger an audible alarm. Ionization units give nearby air an electrical charge and measure whether the charge stays constant; if not there probably is a fire present eating up the oxygen in the air, so the alarm goes off. Photoelectric detectors are better where smoldering fires might be, such as electrical fires in walls, making them a good choice for bedrooms and kitchens. Ionization units are better in areas where a controlled fire might get out of control such as in a furnace room. Some models combine both types of detectors. Smoke detectors are either powered by an internal battery or household current backed up by an internal battery. Some smoke detectors are part of a home Security System .

Fix-It Tip

How many smoke detectors should you have in your house? At a minimum, every home needs one smoke detector on each floor. A better idea is to add a smoke detector in or near each bedroom or bedroom group. If you are building a new home or are handy with electrical things, you can wire sensors and alarms together so that any one of them sets off the entire alarm system.

What Can Go Wrong?

A properly working smoke detector doubles the odds of surviving a home fire. The most common reason for a smoke detector not working is also the easiest to solve: a battery that needs to be replaced. Connections can loosen and sensors can be blocked. The alarm and sensors can malfunction.