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Original poster

Help! Smoke alarm beeping

35 replies

Misty9 · 06/06/2020 06:23

My smoke alarm started beeping at 5.30am. Fine I thought, it needs a new battery. Ran to shop at 6am and got one. It's still beeping!!! Can anyone save my sleep and tell me how to shut the damn thing up?! It's a kidde 9v battery powered one and it's the holding bracket where the beeps are coming from so removing the unit doesn't stop it. I've tested it (gingerly, didn't wake the kids up phew) and it works. So what's wrong with it?!

OP posts:
ChrissyPlummer · 06/06/2020 06:26

Ours did this and we needed a new one...sorry! I’m not sure of the make but quite a few on here (new build estate) have been the same.

Tashface · 06/06/2020 06:29

What happens if you don't put a battery in at all?

Longdistance · 06/06/2020 06:31

Yes. We replaced ours when it was being a bastard bleeping constantly. We thought it was perhaps dust making it bleep so cleaned it and used a Hoover. That didn’t work.

Original poster
Misty9 · 06/06/2020 06:39

Argh! Taking the battery out made no difference as its not the battery unit beeping, somehow. I've given up on sleep but the kids seem to be sleeping through it thankfully. How the heck do I replace the whole thing?! It's a rented house and the weekend...

OP posts:
ForeverBubblegum · 06/06/2020 06:40

I think it's 'out of date', they are designed to last 10 years (usually) then start beeping to let you know they need replacing.

Inside there is a small amount of something radioactive (very low dose, not dangerous) it sheds ions at a constant rate which is detected. If there's smoke the particles get in the way so the detector senses less radiation. Over time the radioactive material brakes down, so after about 10 years it's no longer giving out a big enough dose to work.

Bluemoooon · 06/06/2020 06:42

Is there a button to reset it somewhere. I think I've had them with a circular grey button on them that you have to push but that was a few years ago.

Original poster
Misty9 · 06/06/2020 06:51

@ForeverBubblegum

I think it's 'out of date', they are designed to last 10 years (usually) then start beeping to let you know they need replacing.

Inside there is a small amount of something radioactive (very low dose, not dangerous) it sheds ions at a constant rate which is detected. If there's smoke the particles get in the way so the detector senses less radiation. Over time the radioactive material brakes down, so after about 10 years it's no longer giving out a big enough dose to work.

Even if it still works when I test it?
OP posts:
sarahstoke · 06/06/2020 06:56

Sounds out of date to me I would replace it to be safe :)

LovingLen · 06/06/2020 06:57

There will be an expiry date somewhere on it, can you unscrew the bracket if that is beeping

sashh · 06/06/2020 07:02

How the heck do I replace the whole thing?! It's a rented house and the weekend...

Phone your local fire station, not 999, they often have them to give out free and pre covid they would install them too.

Also pre covid they would do a free assessement of your home for fire risk.

Original poster
Misty9 · 06/06/2020 07:10

It's okay!! I didn't realise there were two alarms... Blush and it was the top of the stairs one which was beeping so I actually replaced the wrong battery! It has stopped thankfully. In my defence they are the same colour as the ceiling and it was dark...

Now the kids are up and I'm shattered.

OP posts:
ForeverBubblegum · 06/06/2020 07:12

Yes, the push the button test is just for the battery / speaker. Ring your landlord to sort out a replacement.

Oblomov20 · 06/06/2020 07:17

Ha ha. Sorry to laugh Misty.

SanJunipero · 06/06/2020 07:27

Grin My dad once smashed their smoke alarm with a hammer because the bugger wouldn't stop beeping, only to discover it was, in fact, their other smoke alarm going off...

Toomanycats99 · 06/06/2020 07:34

I did similar this week. Have 2 wired in some alarms about 7ft from either other either side of a door frame. Replaces a battery still beeping and seemed to move when I moved. Realised it was the carbon monoxide one I'd forgotten about that sat over the door frame!

LovingLen · 06/06/2020 07:52

It is very hard to know where the beep is coming from if one starts going off intermittently. I have to actually sit it in front of me beeping to check I have the right one

lifestooshort123 · 06/06/2020 08:00

Sorry but I've had a good laugh at this! I've imagined you racing out in your pj's to get a new battery, breaking fingernails to sort the damn thing and then the moment of realisation! And your kids slept on! Sorry! Perhaps they'll make you breakfast pancakes to say thank you for being such a great mum 😊

sashh · 06/06/2020 08:09

OP

Sorry I'm laughing too.

I imagine you as Phoebe in friends when her alarm will not stop.

Original poster
Misty9 · 06/06/2020 08:22

Grin I might see the funny side when I'm less sleep deprived! I can add to the picture with my antics on a chair at the top of the stairs when I couldn't reach the damn thing!
Turned out the kids did wake up and I found ds cowering in his sister's bed with his fingers in his ears. Thank god it was the other one, and not the unit needing replacing, as that noise would have driven me insane!

OP posts:
Original poster
Misty9 · 06/06/2020 08:23

And let this be a warning to you all - make sure you have a replacement battery in the house! 😂

OP posts:
hippohector · 06/06/2020 08:39

Does this remind anyone else of that Friends episode with Phoebe and the beeping smoke alarm? Grin

Tumbleweed101 · 06/06/2020 09:22

I see you solved your issue now but I had an alarm that wouldn’t stop but was mains operated. Started beeping and turned out the electric switch for it has been triggered at some point so it had used up its back up battery. Switched the electric switch back on and problem solved... did take someone coming out to investigate to discover this fact though lol.

YouStupidBoy · 06/06/2020 09:27

We had the same and after googling tried hoovering around the sensor ports with a soft hoover attachment which worked. Tested it afterwards and was working as it should be.

I know you have solved you issue - but leaving this here in case anyone else is having dramas too!!

NewName54321 · 06/06/2020 10:54

Also make sure your DC know what to do if the smoke alarm goes off. Without wishing to scare you, sadly it's not uncommon for children to hide and only be found when it's too late.

mencken · 06/06/2020 11:14

love it! Glad you resolved this and sorry about the disturbed night.

they do have an expiry date, so check that and if it is coming up, contact your landlord for replacements. New batteries are your department and you should always have one in the house. The batteries tend to go low at 4am when it is colder (and look what the weather has done) so this is a classic example.

carbon monoxide alarms also have an expiry date so check that too if you have one.