We have tested the alarms by pressing the test button and all interlinked alarms behaved as expected. As an extra level of testing we wafted some smouldering cardboard under them and they are not sounding an alarm, we have a Kitchen Heat Alarm fitted in the kitchen and that detected the smoke and heat source immediately. 

 

It seems strange that 3 new Smoke Alarms are all faulty or are we doing something wrong, all have been installed as per instructions, have back up batteries installed . What have we done wrong , please help. I would feel a right idiot returning them to the supplier to find out I have done or not done something crucial.

 

Thanks in advance

 

NikkiW

Would you drive your car into a wall to give the seat belts "an extra level of testing" No?, then why waft something smouldering under a smoke alarm?

So long as the alarms all sound when the test button is pressed, you need not do anything else to test them. I have heard of people doing as you did and causing fires and so the insurance refuses to pay out, stay safe and just use the test button like normal people. 🙂

Holding smouldering / burning anything under a smoke alarm is NOT the way to test it.