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Smoke and CO alarm planner

Press the test button once a month, change a replaceable battery once a year, and fit a new smoke alarm 10 years after it was made; a CO alarm lasts 5 to 10 years, by brand.

Where do you live?
Which alarm?
What powers it?
A mains alarm with a backup battery counts as one you can change.
The year on the label
It’s printed on the back or the side. If your alarms are of different ages, plan for the oldest.
Your home

Your alarm plan

In Switzerland Switzerland has no legal duty to fit smoke alarms5,8, and the BFU gives no test or replacement interval: it says to follow the maker’s instructions6. The cantonal building insurers’ fire-prevention office recommends them in the hallway and every bedroom, a test once a month and new alarms every 10 years5; GVB Bern says the same7.
Press the test button Every month The BFU gives no interval6; the cantonal insurers’ BFB and GVB Bern say test once a month5,7.
Battery Never: it’s sealed A sealed battery lasts the alarm’s life. When it chirps for a low battery, the whole alarm is replaced5,1.
Replace by 2036 10 years from the year it was made, as the U.S. Fire Administration counts2. German consumer advice counts from the day it was put up instead9, so one that sat in a drawer can stay a little longer there; a date printed on the alarm settles it.
Dust them Every 6 months GOV.UK says every six months4. GOV.UK and the BFB say vacuum it; Hekatron says a soft cloth only, never a vacuum. Your alarm’s manual settles it.
How many, at least 3 alarms Not required, but advised: one in every bedroom and one in the hallway on every level, 2 bedrooms and 1 level5,7. The BFU puts bedrooms and the entrance first, then the living room and study6.

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How we worked this out

Testing. The U.S. Fire Administration, NFPA and the CPSC say to test smoke alarms monthly, and the CPSC says the same for CO alarms2,1,3. GOV.UK says at least monthly4. In Switzerland the BFU gives no interval and points to the maker6, but the cantonal building insurers’ fire-prevention office (BFB) and GVB Bern say once a month5,7. The Czech fire brigade suggests a test whenever the clocks change14; we plan monthly there too and say so.

Germany’s yearly check. German advice asks for a check at least once a year9, and DIN 14676 sets it 12 months apart, give or take 310,11. The standard itself is paywalled, so the tolerance comes from the makers. The battery change is part of that check9.

Batteries. A replaceable battery is changed once a year2,3,4; First Alert says every 6 months for its CO alarms18, so with that brand we follow the maker. A sealed 10-year battery is never changed: when it chirps, the whole alarm goes1,5.

Replace-by year. A smoke alarm is replaced after 10 years1,5,9. The U.S. Fire Administration counts from the year it was made2, German consumer advice from the day it was put up9; we count from the year made and say so, and a date printed on the alarm beats both. CO sensors differ by brand: Kidde 10 years since 2013 and 7 before15, Nest Protect (2nd gen) 10 years from manufacture17, First Alert 5 to 7 years18. SpickSpan counts intervals up to 2 years, so the replace-by year rides in the note of a yearly chore instead of being a chore itself.

Dusting. GOV.UK says to vacuum smoke alarms every six months4 and the BFB says to vacuum them too5; Hekatron says never vacuum, use a soft cloth10, and Ei says a soft brush or the vacuum’s brush11. We keep the six months and leave the method to your alarm’s manual.

How many. US advice: every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and every level1,2,3. UK: at least one on every level4. Germany: bedrooms, children’s rooms and the hallways out, plus living rooms and studies in Berlin and Brandenburg9, and every storey11. Switzerland: the hallway and every bedroom5, bedrooms and the entrance first6. Czechia: one towards the exit, a second over 150 m² or on more than one level12, required in new and renovated homes only13. CO alarms: every level and outside sleeping areas3,16. Switzerland has no legal duty at all5,8.

Sources

  1. 1
    Planning & Implementing a Successful Smoke Alarm Installation Program NFPA · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  2. 2
    Smoke alarms U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA) · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  3. 3
    It’s Time to Change Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Batteries as Daylight Saving Time Ends U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  4. 4
    Fire safety in the home (accessible version) GOV.UK (Home Office) · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  5. 5
    Rauchmelder können Leben retten BFB, Beratungsstelle für Brandverhütung (Vereinigung Kantonaler Gebäudeversicherungen) · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  6. 6
    Rauchmelder BFU, Beratungsstelle für Unfallverhütung · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  7. 7
    Medienmitteilung: Brandschutz-Tipps (7 November 2024) GVB Gebäudeversicherung Bern · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  8. 8
    Détecteurs de fumée domestique ECA Vaud · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  9. 9
    Rauchmelder austauschen: Wann es nötig ist und worauf Sie achten sollten Verbraucherzentrale · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  10. 10
    FAQ Rauchwarnmelder Hekatron Brandschutz · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  11. 11
    Bedienungsanleitung Ei650 Rauchwarnmelder (inkl. i-serie) Ei Electronics · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  12. 12
    Vyhláška č. 23/2008 Sb., o technických podmínkách požární ochrany staveb, § 15 and § 16 Ministerstvo vnitra ČR (text on Zákony pro lidi) · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  13. 13
    Učitelské noviny: požární hlásiče (article for teachers) Hasičský záchranný sbor ČR · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  14. 14
    Autonomní hlásič požáru (leaflet) Hasičský záchranný sbor Moravskoslezského kraje · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  15. 15
    When should I replace my carbon monoxide alarm? Kidde · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  16. 16
    Carbon monoxide (CO) basics Kidde · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  17. 17
    Learn when to replace your Nest Protect Google Nest Help · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  18. 18
    7 things to know about carbon monoxide alarms First Alert · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026

These are the makers’ figures for typical use. If your appliance’s manual or its own indicator says otherwise, go with that.