smoke detectors

[eldubb440]

I replaced all my smoke detectors about 2 years ago........ they are hard wired throughout the house

4 times recently the alarms went off; like one of them detects smoke........ continues for a minute, maybe longer, and stops

it happened twice today........

no smoke or fire anywhere........

bite the bullet and replace them all? again? I guess so

 

[F4R/T]

CYA or it could catch ya sleeping! They do malfunction periodically.. Got any ghosts hanging around making them go off?

 

[Builderguy]

Are they hardwired with a battery backup? IIRC that is the only way you could buy them. But I could be wrong on that.

 

[Builderguy]

Even the ones with the "10 year batteries" can take a dump and emit chirps, etc. Make and model of SD would help.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Sounds like you need Smart smoke detectors.

 

[eldubb440]

Even the ones with the "10 year batteries" can take a dump and emit chirps, etc. Make and model of SD would help.

USI Electric..... bought them at home depot......... hard wired with built in 10 year battery.....

it doesn't do the chirp....... it sounds the alarm, all of the alarms.......and I don't know which one is the culprit

 

[Dave6T4]

Could be a small spider in one of them. Blow them out with compressed air if you can.

 

[eldubb440]

Could be a small spider in one of them. Blow them out with compressed air if you can.

I happen to know a guy with a compressor....... a bug can set them off? who knew?

 

[PlymCrazy]

Blow it out with something like this...

Not like the one in your shop...

 

[BB BELLA]

USI Electric..... bought them at home depot......... hard wired with built in 10 year battery.....

it doesn't do the chirp....... it sounds the alarm, all of the alarms.......and I don't know which one is the culprit

I have a 10 unit commercial building with 25 kidde units that have 9 volt backup batteries.
in my experience, the one that initializes the alarm will continue flashing ,that saves a lot of hunting!
I tried the 10yr. batt. units at home and had nothing but trouble with them!

what I can't figure out is when they false alarm it's always at 2 a.m.

 

[Builderguy]

Like Dave6T4 said, cleaning them out is a first step.

Hard wired smoke detectors go off for no reason when there’s a low or dead battery, dirt in the smoke detector, or a power surge. Smoke detectors can go off when there is steam or high humidity in the house, as well as burnt food. To avoid the alarm, clean the smoke detector itself if it is dusty and check the battery.
hard-wired-smoke-alarms-going-off-for-no-reason

 

[65Bel]

Had the same issue at our house. Ten hardwired and interconnected 'First Alert' combination smoke & carbon monoxide detectors. Searched online and found that an indicator light, on the detector that triggered the alarm, blinks a code so you can tell which one was the culprit. As it turned out, the one in my workshop was gummed up from dust & smoke. Replacing that one detector solved the problem.

 

[WileE]

Depends in what type of smoke they detect

 

[cr8crshr]

Depends in what type of smoke they detect View attachment 1600322View attachment 1600323

cr8crshr/Bill

 

[Hey-O]

Blow it out with something like this...

View attachment 1600270

Well said,
Mine have went off and my house was a new build and a year old when it happened. It did blink and I use a can of compressed air to keep them dust free. I guess it's better to wake up to a false alarm, compared to not waking up at all.

 

[QuickBpBp]

Just replaced ours recently as one kept chirping even with a new battery so they were all the same age figured it was about time for all of them to go “bad”…

 

[Hey-O]

Just replaced ours recently as one kept chirping even with a new battery so they were all the same age figured it was about time for all of them to go “bad”…

Ten years is about it for them, I've done that before.

 

[moparwacko]

Good reminder - mine haven't been replaced since the house was built. I have to replace 8 interconnected units. Does anyone recommend a certain manufacturer?

 

[72redbird]

The ones in or house have to have the sensor cleaned from time to time. Also, ours has a 9 volt battery in it that when it gets low on voltage it will emit a chirp sound. Might want to check that also, or just put a new one in.

 

[Hey-O]

Good reminder - mine haven't been replaced since the house was built. I have to replace 8 interconnected units. Does anyone recommend a certain manufacturer?

You can't go wrong with First Alert.