Here's Everything You Need to Know About Smoke Alarms
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Everyone has dealt with a beeping smoke alarm at some point. Ironically, the pesky sound begins whenever you've just drifted off to a deep sleep after tossing and turning in the bed. The chirping starts for no apparent reason, scaring you out of that hard-earned sleep. And just when you think it's stopped and safe to go back to bed, the incessant beeps start up again. It's enough to make you lose your mind.
But smoke detectors do save lives, so interrupted sleep aside, you want to make sure they are always working properly. The good news is that your smoke alarm is pretty vocal when it's malfunctioning. It may be annoying, but better safe than sorry! The better news is that most of the time there's an easy solution—no professional help necessary. The answer isn’t as easy as hitting your alarm with a broomstick or bat until it stops, but we do have some helpful ideas that should do the trick.
While you're working on the smoke alarm, you should also check your carbon monoxide alarm to make sure it’s in order, and use this travel hack to keep your house safe and sound at all times.
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How should you start assessing your smoke alarm?
First, make sure that there is no smoke in your home. Then, you need to determine if you have a standalone or hardwired smoke alarm. And you also need to define if the alarm is beeping constantly or setting off randomly.
How do you get a ringing smoke alarm to stop if there is no smoke?
If there is no smoke, a beeping noise is a sure indication that the batteries are dying or that your system needs a good, old-fashioned reset.
How often should I change the batteries on my smoke alarm?
Old batteries are the most common problem when it comes to beeping alarms. Both standalone and hardwired systems require batteries, and as power weakens, smoke alarms will beep every few minutes as an indication to change them. Some states (like California) require battery powered smoke alarms that last up to 10 years. The batteries in these are inaccessibly sealed, and the beeping means it's time to replace the whole smoke detector.
Did you trip a circuit breaker?
If you've got a hardwired smoke alarm system, try flipping the switch on the breaker to see if the beeping ceases.
Step by Step Instructions: 3 Easy Solutions
Method 1 - Press the "Reset" button.
If you have changed the batteries and/or switched the power off via the breaker and the alarm is still beeping, the system may need to be reset. Most alarms have a red reset button. Hold this down for 15 to 20 seconds and see if that doesn't do the trick.
Method 2 - Try a manual reset.
Remove the batteries and hold down the reset button for 15 to 20 seconds. Reconnect the batteries and alarm. It will most likely beep once as evidence it is working, then it should stop. If you have a hardwired alarm, make sure to switch the power breaker off first before proceeding with the reset (and then turn it back on afterward).
Method 3 - Look for dirt.
If resetting the alarm did not work, there may be dust or dirt stuck between the wall and the detector inhibiting the sensors. Separate the alarm from the wall and using the crevice tool on your vacuum, remove any debris on both the wall and alarm. Compressed air also works well to clean the area.
Are you still stuck and experiencing less beeping and more "false alarms"?
If you're basically having a false alarm—beeping for a set amount of time—at a certain hour, your smoke alarm is likely overexposed to any number of elements including steam in your bathroom or smoke in your kitchen, or it's located too close to a heating vent. In these cases, it's best to just go ahead and replace your smoke detector.
Smoke alarms are the annoying necessity that we’ve all dealt with before- they go off at 3 am blaring for no apparent reason except to scare the living daylights out of you, or incessantly beeps at you every 5 minutes until you think you might go mad. Smoke Alarms do save lives, and you want to make sure they are working properly for the moment you might actually need them. The good news is if your smoke alarm is malfunctioning, it will let you know. It may be annoying, but better safe than sorry right? Most of the time there is an easy solution for these pesky noises emitting from your alarm that does not require a professional. And no, the answer isn’t hitting your alarm with a broomstick or bat until it stops bleeting. These helpful tricks below are a road map to your unpredictable fire alarm that will make you look like a master of your domain. Once you have fixed your smoke alarm you should check your carbon monoxide alarm as well to make sure it’s in order, or use this travel hack to keep your house safe and sound while you are away.
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