It happens to the best of us: you are enjoying a good night’s sleep, only to be woken by the shrill beeping of your smoke alarm. It never seems to be a one off either; you go back to bed, only to be woken again. Clearly, something is wrong. But what is it? And more importantly, how can you make it stop? Randomly beeping fire alarms are one of the most annoying things you can encounter. There are lots of potential causes too. So let’s get acquainted with these noisy little lifesavers: here’s what you need to know!
Before you know how to turn off fire alarm beeping, you need to know its cause. Different fire alarms are activated slightly differently. Of course, all will be activated by smoke – but some are optical, some measure air density, and others react to heat. That means a whole range of non-deadly factors can activate different fire alarms. One of the most common – and most problematic – causes of fire alarm beeping is humidity. Some days, when humidity is particular bad, all the moisture in the air can emulate the properties of smoke and activate your fire alarm. Of course, that’s not the only cause. More common still, is battery life. Read on, and we will go into more detail on these factors below.
In the middle of the night, the last thing you want to do is troubleshoot a faulty fire alarm. Chances are, you’re going to disconnect using whatever means you can. But that’s not always the best idea. Smoke alarms are a legal requirement, and they save lives. So even at their most annoying, we should treat them carefully. If disconnecting your fire alarm is the only way to stop it beeping, then make sure you don’t forget to reconnect it or get it repaired as soon as possible.
A shrill beep every thirty seconds or so can only mean one thing: low battery. This is the easiest fix, so, as annoying as it is, take a regular periodic beep as good news! All you need to do is replace the battery with a new one. Doing so will satisfy your smoke alarm, and it should go back to its job of silently protecting you. To replace the battery, simple follow the prompts on the alarm to open it. When you do, the battery should be clearly visible, and you can easily replace it. The beeping should stop immediately when you do. If it doesn’t, the cause may be something a little more complex.
We mentioned earlier than humidity can activate certain varieties of smoke alarm. If that’s the case, then, how can you fix it? A lot of the time, if humidity is activating your smoke alarm, you need to replace it. This fix is a little more challenging, and may require some expert assistance. Simply let an electrician know about the problems you’re facing and ask for a recommendation. They will likely recommend a different variety of smoke alarm that detects smoke using another method. Luckily, your replacement smoke detector will be better suited to your environment.
If you’ve been unable to stop the beeping and you’ve disconnected your smoke alarm, contact an electrician immediately. It’s vitally important that your smoke alarm is operational – especially when you’re asleep. So don’t take the risk, get in touch with a qualified and licenced electrician for a smoke alarm test today.
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