In my part of the country we have tornado alarms that are tested on the first Saturday of the month at 10:00 AM. This is intended to verify the system is working. The house smoke alarm companies should build a self testing alarm the same way. Program it to sound a test alarm once a month at a designated time to indicate two things - 1) the system is still functioning and 2) the system still has adequate power (either electrical or battery). If the alarm doesn't sound on that particular day and time, you know that you have a malfunction. I know they have test buttons but does anyone use them?
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Commercial property insurance companies require fire alarms to be tested regularly, both by insurance company employees and the alarm company. Water flow detecting systems are tested by opening a test valve in the sprinkler systems. Smoke detectors are tested with smoke.
That is good to hear. I was thinking more about home smoke alarms.
The only catch: the homeowner needs to be home for the alarm test, to make sure the horns actually work. My house has four smoke alarms--every time I want to do a system test, I just have to push four buttons in a row, holding each one until the alarm sounds.