Home Safeguard 25S 2.5-Oz. Smoke Detector Tester Spray

I just explained!

Works well. The trick to using this product effectively is to do very short (1/4 second) bursts about 6 to 8 inches away, then WAIT 5 to 10 seconds for the detector to sound. Just a tiny puff of this, at that distance, will trigger a working smoke detector.There is no need to blast 2 to 4 seconds (or more) as if you are applying hair spray or spray paint, that is a tremendous waste of expensive product. Also, overloading the sensor with tons of excess product may result in a re-tripping situation where the alarm keeps sounding over and over because the product has not yet cleared from the smoke chamber.The only time you would use a 1-second or longer burst is if you cannot get the spray can closer than 2 feet away. In that case, the extra spray volume may be needed to close the gap between the sprayer & the detector. But in such a case it really would make more sense to use a ladder or a dedicated smoke-testing sprayer stick, rather than wasting expensive product.

I recently had a local security firm install 4 smoke detectors as part of their system. I agreed to do the monthly testing needed. They recommended I try SmokeTest as the easiest way to do a real smoke test.I bought a can, and discovered that it only took a half-second spray from a one-foot distance from the detector to start the alarm. You have to wait about 5-10 seconds after spraying it for the smoke to penetrate into the sensor. Then the alarm sounds. I found that if you wave a magazine, etc., below it, that helps to stop the alarm quicker by getting fresh air to the sensor. I am very pleased with this product.

Although sometimes must spray a good bit longer than directed (thus exhausting the can's contents quicker than expected), it ultimately will trigger the tested smoke alarm. So it works, but it's rather expensive for what it provides.

Even just a small and quick spray was able to re-alarm my panel after it went off. For reference my detector is a System Sensor 2351E. Works perfectly and lasts a long time

As far as I know it worked, because the alarm did not go off and I had the smoke alarms changed. Hard to tell if it works or not.

Just spray into the detector, and it sets it off. Wave it away with a newspaper or fan and it stops beeping almost immediately. I can't tell you how much more secure I feel. I found one that was no longer working in a bedroom and replaced it. While the TEST button worked on that unit, that didn't tell the entire story. I now have it on my calendar to test every detector (14 in all) every year. This is a MUST for the safety-conscious homeowner. I love it and will be buying a replacement when it's empty. I think it will probably work for about 45 tests if the weight of the can is any indication. After the 14 tests, it weighs about ⅓ less, thus the estimate of 45 tests. Your results will vary.A must have for those who want to test if their smoke detectors are REALLY working.

A very brief spray from 3-4 feet away set off every smoke detector in my house. They're all fairly new, so not surprised that they work, but it's great peace of mind. I'll be using it after each annual replacement of the batteries.