Why SMOKE Alarms chirp

[pauls340]

By code we had to add seven smoke alarms and wire them with battery backups. Why do they chirp periodically? Drives the dog nuts

 

[honda_fox3]

By code we had to add seven smoke alarms and wire them with battery backups. Why do they chirp periodically? Drives the dog nuts

Usually a sign that the batteries are dead or gettng close. Some of them have a diagnostic system that will do that if there is a problem with them also. There should be lights that flash a certain amount of times for certain problems, look at your owners manual for all that info. But I would bet that the batteries are in need of replacement and should be every 6 months. We go by the rule that when you change clocks you also change smoke detector batteries.

You would be amazed how often our fire department gets called out for a smoke alarm or CO alarm going off only to find that it was freaking out because it needs new batteries. We replace the batteries and go on our way.

 

[malibu101]

I know the subject is smoke detectors. Just asking.......

Are you sure they're not combination smoke and/or CO detectors?
CO detectors have a finite life of the CO sensor. I think about 7 years. When the time is up for the CO sensor life it will give a warning of some kind.

 

[Kevin C]

A side note... If you have a dog door, its pretty easy to train your dogs to go outside when the alarm goes off.

The obvious reason is that if you have a fire, the smoke and noise creates a lot of confusion. Most times pets will go and hide somewhere in the house. Training them to leave might save their lives.

The other is if your house is like mine, once in a while the alarm goes off from cooking. Its really funny to watch the dog evacuate the house and sit outside until you give them a treat and tell them to come in.

 

[JCQuick]

A side note... If you have a dog door, its pretty easy to train your dogs to go outside when the alarm goes off.

The obvious reason is that if you have a fire, the smoke and noise creates a lot of confusion. Most times pets will go and hide somewhere in the house. Training them to leave might save their lives.

The other is if your house is like mine, once in a while the alarm goes off from cooking. Its really funny to watch the dog evacuate the house and sit outside until you give them a treat and tell them to come in.

I never thought about that thats some good advice

 

[sdguy55]

A side note... If you have a dog door, its pretty easy to train your dogs to go outside when the alarm goes off.

The obvious reason is that if you have a fire, the smoke and noise creates a lot of confusion. Most times pets will go and hide somewhere in the house. Training them to leave might save their lives.

The other is if your house is like mine, once in a while the alarm goes off from cooking. Its really funny to watch the dog evacuate the house and sit outside until you give them a treat and tell them to come in.

Wow that is really good advice. To bad I don't have a doggy door cause it wouldn't take long at all to train my dog to do that. Maybe have him sit and wait by the door?

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 4

 

[honda_fox3]

I know the subject is smoke detectors. Just asking.......

Are you sure they're not combination smoke and/or CO detectors?
CO detectors have a finite life of the CO sensor. I think about 7 years. When the time is up for the CO sensor life it will give a warning of some kind.

Smoke detectors are the same way. Should both be replaced at 10 years, a lot will have a date of manufacture on them on the bottom or inside the battery door.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd likely wager that the batteries need replaced. False alarms are fact of life with detectors.

 

[Al Bundy]

By code we had to add seven smoke alarms and wire them with battery backups. Why do they chirp periodically? Drives the dog nuts

How big is your house that you needed 7 more? How many do you have total?

 

[NUTTSGT]

How big is your house that you needed 7 more? How many do you have total?

I'd guess a two story with 3/4 bedrooms, One per floor and one per bedroom, possibly an extra one in the utility/furnace area.

 

[JBourquin]

I'd likely wager that the batteries need replaced. False alarms are fact of life with detectors.

"Smells and Bells.."

 

[1/2 Cup]

I have just replaced the whole detector as mine were nearly 10 years old and doing similar.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Yeah we had a detector that was literally like 30+ years old. Changed batteries, would keep chirping once or twice in the middle of the night waking everyone up. Tried blowing air to clean out dust... still did it.

Just went and bought a couple news ones... Problem solved...

Probably a good idea to check your fire extinguishers too...

 

[pauls340]

Thanks for all the 2cents, many will take advantage of the tips. We don't have a big house by any means. We like to say it takes an hour and 15 minutes to clean the whole thing. 1250 sqft ranch but in Michigan you have to have a detector in each bedroom, hallway and basement. Bought a box of 9volts today. Thanks

 

[transplant_wi]

I suspect small insects getting inside might have set mine off a few times. A couple have needed replacement at about 7 years old having started chirping.

 

[schmelpboy]

Thanks for all the 2cents, many will take advantage of the tips. We don't have a big house by any means. We like to say it takes an hour and 15 minutes to clean the whole thing. 1250 sqft ranch but in Michigan you have to have a detector in each bedroom, hallway and basement. Bought a box of 9volts today. Thanks

If you didn't need so many, I'd suggest the new ones from NEST. I just pre-ordered 2 of them, and will put up a review after a couple of weeks of using them....

 

[BFBOB]

RTFM!! (Read The Friendly Manual).
If none were provided, that's no excuse. It's all easily available online. Take one of the detectors down, get the manufacturer and model number and READ. As several have pointed out, the beeps and flashes mean different things in different units. MOST OFTEN, though NOT universally, a brief beep every 3 minutes or so is a low battery.
But, don't take my word: RTFM

One smoke per floor, one per bedroom doesn't cut it any more. Requirement is (and has been for maybe ten years) one per floor, one inside each bedroom within 5' of the door, and one OUTSIDE each bedroom within 5' of the door. Only in a very small house would one detector cover the outside-the- bedroom requirement for all bedrooms. Two story, 4 bedroom house could easily require 9 detectors, and a consciencious installer would add one heat or smoke in each room with a heat source (furnace, kitchen, laundry) plus a CO in each room where combustion takes place (gas furnace, gas dryer, fireplace).
That's a pretty good chunk of change at around $100 apiece (professionally installed), but what's your life worth?

Finally, for even better protection, all those devices should be monitored. Installing devices alarm-compatible devices is best, but even more expensive. A good alternative is installing an alarm interface. It attaches to the smoke nearest the alarm panel and provides an output that will trip a zone on virtually any alarm panel. Since all modern AC smokes are interconnected, any smoke in the house will trip the alarm.

 

[BFBOB]

I suspect small insects getting inside might have set mine off a few times. A couple have needed replacement at about 7 years old having started chirping.

Very unlikely. The detection chamber is screened, and it's a very fine screen. More likely it's dust or humidity. Putting a smoke detector too close to a bathroom door is certain to cause falsing - a cloud of steam looks just like smoke to a detector.