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This morning at 5am (an hour before my clock alarm goes off), the smoke detector outside my bedroom started chirping. I was not amused. The detector is hard-wired into the electric system so it's not a bad battery. The chirps were not rhythmic but random. I waved a towel around the detector and brushed away the one cobweb. Eventually it stopped and I left for work.
I am now convinced I will have to call an electrician and take a day off work to get the thing replaced. Hopefully this was a one off. |
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Vaccuum it and see if that helps. The dust might have been setting it off. Otherwise, a rodent may have bitten through the cord and it could need rewired.
Or, your house is haunted!  |
| I have had that happen. Change the batteries |
| Your smoke detector should have a back up battery even if wired into your electrical system (so it will work if the power goes off). |
Tasker's Mom wrote:
Your smoke detector should have a back up battery even if wired into your electrical system (so it will work if the power goes off). |
That's what I was going to say too. If you change the battery...that should stop the chirping. |
Some hardwired smoke detectors don't have battery back ups because people are stupid and don't realize that the first thing that happens in a fire or when the fire department arrives is the power goes out.
If your smoke detector doesn't have a battery back up, you should get one that does. (From someone who still hasn't replaced their hardwired smoke detectors without batteries!  ) |
My smoke detectors are hardwired and do not have battery backups and the one near the kitchen is waaaaaaay too sensitive and goes off all the time and we always have to shut it off when cooking and since Joan cooks all the time and sometimes we forget to turn it back on it can be off for days in a row.
I just thought I'd try stream of consciousness typing once. Or lack of punctuation at least.
I have also had a couple chirp due to cobwebs or whatever. A good blowing/vacuuming stopped it. I have also had them fail due to condensation.
I suppose new detectors are in order at some point! |
| HMMMMMMM, interesting. I can't for the world imagine WHY you would even MAKE a smoke detector that didn't have a battery back up!!!!!! |
| Because it's hard wired!! Why would you need a stupid, perishable battery when there's a wire sticking in it to provide power? Stupid Engineers with no real world experience!!! |
My BIL recently got on my case and made me buy NEW fire alarms to replace my hard wired ones for that very reason. Well, that and the fact that in the 14 years I've been in that house, I've never replaced them. Apparently, says the fire marshall, they need to be replaced at least every five year regardless.  Who knew?  |
In my house, when a smoke detector chirps it means that it's the middle of the night! And my husband has the ability to sleep through everything, so I'm going to have to get out the ladder and change the battery if I want any sleep at all
I have hard wired smoke detectors with battery back ups. |
| Tammy, that's frightening.....even the hard wired need to be replaced? Did I read that right? I've got more holes in my hall way from old fire detectors......hard wired, battery......yeah gads, time to bring out the ladder again. |
Paula O. wrote:
The detector is hard-wired into the electric system so it's not a bad battery. The chirps were not rhythmic but random. |
My smoke detectors are hardwired but they also have backup batteries that chirp when they are dead. |
Yes, that's what he told me, Susan. He said they should be replaced every five years regardless of whether they're battery or hard-wired.  |
| Thanks........I think |
Yeah, that was kind of my feelings on the subject.  Now, I have the new ones, still in the bag from Lowes they came in, waiting for him to come install them. |
| I don't know if the detector has battery back-up. If it does, it is usually a 9 volt? I'll get a battery before I go home if I know what voltage..... |
| Usually a 9 volt. Although, some of the new ones we have here are using 2 AA because they are more popular. |
| I was told that you need to get the same type of 9volt (energizer, duracell, etc) because the connections aren't exactly the same. Seems odd to me because I thought they were interchangeable but I thought I would mention it. |
| If my detector doesn't have a battery back-up, and chirps even though I've dusted and vacuumed, then do I need to call an electrician?????? |
You can replace it yourself, we have faith in you!! Although, maybe the electrician would be hot!  |
| I am certain it has a battery backup. |
| Bought a 9 volt AND 2 AAs on the way home last night, just to be sure. I heard no chirping but replaced the battery anyway which was a chore because it was "hidden." Dusted and reassembled. Fingers crossed everything is AOK, although my co-worker's husband is a handman and can replace the alarm if it totally fustigates. |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote:
Yes, that's what he told me, Susan. He said they should be replaced every five years regardless of whether they're battery or hard-wired. |
Sounds like someone owns stock in the smoke detector company |
| No, that's just my brother-in-law, who is studying for his masters in fire science. He's a stickler for those details. |
Paula O. wrote:
my co-worker's husband is a handman and can replace the alarm if it totally fustigates. |
Paula, I had to look fustigates up - that was a new word for me!!
fus·ti·gate (fst-gt)
tr.v. fus·ti·gat·ed, fus·ti·gat·ing, fus·ti·gates
1. To beat with a club; cudgel.
2. To criticize harshly: "We followed [Ibsen] as he fustigates himself and us" Patrice Chereau.
My new word of the day - so early too!  |
got sheep wrote:
Paula O. wrote:
my co-worker's husband is a handman and can replace the alarm if it totally fustigates. |
Paula, I had to look fustigates up - that was a new word for me!!
fus·ti·gate (fst-gt)
tr.v. fus·ti·gat·ed, fus·ti·gat·ing, fus·ti·gates
1. To beat with a club; cudgel.
2. To criticize harshly: "We followed [Ibsen] as he fustigates himself and us" Patrice Chereau.
My new word of the day - so early too! |
HAHAHAHAH, I thought it was a MADE UP word from Seinfeld!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Fustigate. I heard this on another bulletin board and it was used to mean "broken" or "completely screwed up." I figured the user made the word up!
I like my interpretation better than the dictionary's definition..... |
