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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to as you to help me work out what just happened please!

30 replies

etaketak · 30/04/2019 02:36

Me and DH fast asleep in bed in bedroom, woke up to quick and loud beeping alarm, as loud as fire alarm, it stopped when we woke up. It wasn't the fire alarm. It sounded like it was in our bedroom (but maybe could have been through baby monitor, but then I think baby would have woken too and he didn't) have walked around the house, can't see anything different- so back in bed now DH snoring I have baby with me as I was worried and can't get back to sleep for the fear a) it was alarming me about something. B) it will go off again and I won't know what to do!

OP posts:
RubberTreePlant · 30/04/2019 02:39

Low battery warning in something?
Brief power cut (setting off alarms on appliances)?

Original poster
etaketak · 30/04/2019 02:41

It was too loud and lasted three or four seconds so too long for batteries running out

OP posts:
PillowTalker · 30/04/2019 02:42

If it was just you who heard it could it be this,? I've had it a few times, very unnerving and seems so real.

AIBU to as you to help me work out what just happened please!
Original poster
etaketak · 30/04/2019 02:42

No both DH and I woke up v quickly thinking it was fire alarm so not just me but that sounds scary!

OP posts:
Original poster
etaketak · 30/04/2019 03:08

Okay it's gone off again it's the fire alarm but there's no fire?

OP posts:
RubberTreePlant · 30/04/2019 03:10

Is it mains or battery powered? I'd check the battery or the fuse.

RubberTreePlant · 30/04/2019 03:12

And double check cupboards etc to be doubly sure there isn't a small fire somewhere.

Original poster
etaketak · 30/04/2019 03:12

We can't work out how to get them off the ceiling Blush

OP posts:
TheQueef · 30/04/2019 03:14

Is it a monoxide detector too?

RubberTreePlant · 30/04/2019 03:14

There are normally clips at the side.

Id it's only going off intermittently in short bursts it's probably trying to warn you of low power.

If you can't get the cover off, check your fuse box and see if there's a circuit labelled as being for the alarms. The switch might have tripped.

ChessIsASport · 30/04/2019 03:16

Is it wired into the mains? If it is then every ten years it needs replacing and they just go off like that to remind you to replace them. We had this. Our house reached 10 years old and then the fire alarms started going off in the night. It was terrifying! I never realised they had a finite lifetime.

Obviously, check for fire first!

Original poster
etaketak · 30/04/2019 03:18

Okay thank you all- now can I ask a silly question, How do I know if they are connected to the mains?

OP posts:
RubberTreePlant · 30/04/2019 03:20

Look for a battery under the cover. Or alternatively, look for a switch on your fuse box labelled "fire alarms". (Modern fuse boxes are usually labelled.) It's for to be one or the other.

Do you know where your fuse box is?

AlexaAmbidextra · 30/04/2019 03:22

Look for a battery under the cover.

There will still be a battery for backup even if a mains wired alarm.

RubberTreePlant · 30/04/2019 03:24

There will still be a battery for backup even if a mains wired alarm.

Aren't they usually intégral?

Original poster
etaketak · 30/04/2019 03:33

Have checked fuse box and there's no switch for fire alarms, so it must be battery operated?

OP posts:
WhoopImMaking6BucksAnHour · 30/04/2019 03:39

Ours are mains operated and will do that if they've switched over to battery, sometimes if a brief power cut. Have any of the detectors got s little red light where the others have a little green one? Should be fine if you can change battery. Will keep intermittently doing it til you change battery (if the same as ours)

FurrySlipperBoots · 30/04/2019 03:41

Don't stress about it, it's normal! Ours do this periodically too. It can be a sign the batteries are running down, so replace them when you can. They can just be triggered by a fly getting in there though.

OwnerOfThatChocolateBar · 30/04/2019 03:45

Ours does it when the batteries need changing

livinglavidavillanelle · 30/04/2019 03:48

My carbon monoxide detector does this when the battery needs changing

Squirrel26 · 30/04/2019 06:53

They can also do it if there’s dust in there. (I found this out by googling when this happened to me, and ended up hoovering the f**king smoke alarm at 3am! Worked though.)

onemorecupofcoffeefortheroad · 30/04/2019 06:55

The batteries need changing in your smoke alarm.

Bunnybigears · 30/04/2019 06:59

We had this with a smoke alarm fitted by the fire brigade, no way of opening it and it was glued to the ceiling. Apparently its dust, we tried hoovering it but that didn't work the only way we could make it stop was to hammer it off the ceiling and smash it to pieces at 2am!

Betsy86 · 30/04/2019 07:01

My fire alarm cover twists off anti-clockwise so try that the battery will be directly underneath. It is a very loud beep when it happens!

TheTreeHearsYourSecret · 30/04/2019 07:08

We had this with ours, mains powered with battery back up. Changed the battery but it still went off so needed a new unit.

Whilst we waited for that to be delivered, I bought a battery powered one to tide us over because I wouldn't be without a smoke alarm.

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