My smoke detector keeps beeping every 60 or so seconds. What should I do to make it stop?
I’ve noticed people question similar questions on here about smoke detectors beeping only to receive glib, even rude, responses telling them that they need to change the batteries. Before anyone suggests that to me, I’d like you to know the alarm does NOT run on batteries and is connected frankly the wiring in my house. It doesn’t even have a backup battery (not excellent, but I had nothing to do with the construction of the house and until I can get an electrician to change it out for me, I’m pretty much stuck with what I have).
Now that we have that out of the way, it is made by Lifesaver, and has a "Hush" button and a "Reset" button. I have pressed both. I have reset the breaker that controls the alarm at the breaker box. Nothing has worked. Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do? I thank you all in advance!
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My home has one of those annoying electrical smoke detectors that went off at random era, too.Mainly due to the location of the detector, which was near the bathroom.It beeped whenever it detected steam from the bathroom after someone showered.All you have to do is disconnect the wiring from the power source.I questioned a courageous supporter to do it as I’m not familar with the wiring and frightened I might get shocked by the electricity.Thankfully, he wasn’t.He didn’t know which was the right wire but just disconnected one wire and pushed the re-set button to see if it would beep.If it continues to beep, then disconnect the other wire and test to see if there’s still beeping, until it ceases to beep.It has to be one wire or the other.I reckon there’s only two wires.I would recommend having an electrician take a look at it though for safety reasons.My ancient smoke detector is still there but not functioning.Since it is connected to wiring, I resolute to keep it there and installed a battery powered one nearby.
Is there dust/dirt in the sensor?
That is the reminder noise that the battery needs to be replaced with a new battery as soon as possible for the unit to work as it was designed to do. The better feature detectors are frankly hooked up to electricity but still have a battery backup. You need to find out where the battery is located. While doing that, it would be a excellent time to vacuum out the detector.
I never heard of an alarm on electricity only.
battery only = yes.
electricity with battery backup = yes.
It sounds like you have a terrible sensor in your alarm. The whole thing probably needs changed. also, I’d get a battery powered smoke alarm.
About the only suggestion I can make is to try cleaning the photocell that is the actual detector used to "see" smoke.
When they get a small soil they can trip the alarm. If that doesn’t work you may need to look into having an electrician change it out.
If there is a way to deactivate it and replace it with the battery-operated type that might be a excellent option for you.
You wouldn’t even have to remove it, if you may possibly just turn it off.
If dust is in the sensor you should vacuum or air dust then have it tested by a fire marshal or electrician. I’ld still look at getting a battery back up model or at least a battery op to complement this one.
Since it is hardwired into the house, and no battery backup, please get a new smooke detector-ASAP. How ancient is the smoke detector? They usually need to be replaced on average about every ten being-and as you well know, always check the smoke detector by pressing the test button. By the way, as a side note, in my apts where I live, at an apt. filled with cigarette smoke (smouldering), the smoke detector did NOT go off, with the apt. filled with smoke–even thought the test button worked. So when you replace this smoke detector-please question the sales clerk about a can of "smoke" that you can spray aimed towards the smoke detector. You wait a few seconds, if the alarm does not go off, then the detector would need to be replaced again. That is what our maintenance guys had to do to test all the smoke detectors at this property after that one experience.
I hope this helps. Take care.
Disconnect the alarm and you will see that there is a battery door on the back. You can not see it from the front. I am sure this is the conundrum. Just turn it counter timer wise until it drops down. The wires will still be connected just turn off the power and I am sure this is the conundrum.
Excellent luck
you will find that your alarm has a battery and if it is the only type in existence that dosent it may have an indipendant circit at the switchboard switch it of and on again if it dosent it will probably work on the lighting circit turn the alarms off for say 60 seconds then back on that may help but i still maintain you have a batt there will be a button on one side to drop the alarm down do that look inside
You should just get rid of it since it is a conundrum. Just buy a battery powered one that has the ability to detect Smoke And Carbonmonoxide. With a battery powered one you will have to change the battery every year. This will keep you more attuned to safety. WIth an electric powered one you just assume it will work no matter what.
I had same conundrum and found that there was really a conundrum with the wiring in our house something about arcing relations sending power surges? We had the electrician in to fix it under the home warranty and he said if we hadn’t called we were just waiting for and electrical fire. This was in a new house!!!! I’d call a professional, if you’ve tried all the logical stuff then it’s time to seek help.
I feel your pain. I had the exact same conundrum several months ago. Even though my smoke detector is hard-wired, it has a battery for back-up in case of a power outage. I had to replace the D battery buried in the unit to silence the chirping and the “low battery” message. Pushing the reset and other buttons did not work, nor did cold off the electric power in my apartment. You have to change the battery to stop that annoying chirping (which is a "safety feature)". Make sure you get a long-lasting battery—I place in a regular Duracell battery and today, my smoke detector is chirping again!
Go to the Kidde website (URL below) to look up your model type and hopefully they’ll have a diagram so you can see where the battery is located.
http://www.kidde.com/utcfs/Templates/Pages/Template-53/0,8062,pageId%3D4363%26siteId%3D384,00.html
Try to verify the age. If it is hardwired with or without battery back up, and is approx 10 yrs or more the unit should be replaced entirely. These models run about $8 at the huge box stores and are pretty simple to replace.
If the age is as I said, do not replace only one, all units within your home should be simplified every 10 yrs max.