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[brightorange14]

Ok, probably a dumb question - How can I tell if the detector that came with my home is a smoke detector or a radon detector? (I suppose it could be a something else detector too, but those are the only two I am at all familiar with.) Is my best bet to light a candle underneath it?

Comments

[mjwise]

I assume you mean carbon monoxide detector? If in doubt, buy new ones. ;)

Smoke Detectors

[anonymous]

Almost all smoke detectors work by detecting a broken light beam. You break the beam, it goes off. So any kind of smoke works, including breathing on it. That fogs up the sensor and trips it.

I'm posting this anonymously because you should have no problem identifying me.

[tsobo]

Even easier. Is it on the ceiling? It's a smoke detector. Is it near the floor? It's a carbon monoxide detector. Does it look like a little sponge in a plastic case? It's a radon detector, and it's useless by now.

[bckaz]

Check the batteries - whatever it is. Do you know that you are supposed to check the batteries when the time changes? I guess that means we never check our batteries in Arizona.