Handyman: Real flame to test smoke detector? Don't try it

Q. I've been dutifully checking my smoke detectors with the "push to test" buttons for many years. I'm intrigued by the idea of testing them with actual smoke. I tried it with a match once, but the alarm didn't go off. Should it have, or do I need much more smoke and/or heat?

A. I tried using a smoky flame some time ago, wrote about it, and received an angry note instructing me never, ever to use an open flame to test a smoke detector. The writer suggested I buy a little gadget that spews out carbon dioxide. You could do the same. It sounds as if your alarms are old, so I suggest you buy new ones, both smoke and carbon monoxide.

Regarding testing, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services says not to use a lighted match and that the following steps are sufficient:

-- Testing your smoke detectors monthly.

-- Replacing alkaline batteries twice a year, when you change your clocks, even if your detectors are hard-wired.

-- Replacing your smoke detector every 10 years (the sensors wear out) and your carbon monoxide ones every five to seven years.

Q. Would you like to read how I solved a very serious situation: the leaky foundation of our house, particularly after it rains? Our house is on a slope going down from front to back. Water started seeping through a few places in the stone foundation into the basement on the front during heavy rains. Three years ago, I saw puddles against the foundation in the front. Years of raking leaves away from the house had put a depression in the ground. I put earth and compost against the foundation to create a berm.

A. You solved a significant problem with a simple answer. I don't think you made a berm, but rather an apron that diverts rainwater away from the foundation so that it seeps into the ground harmlessly.

Write to Peter Hotton at photton@globe.com.

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Handyman: Real flame to test smoke detector? Don't try it