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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Smoke alarm beeping and driving me berserk

40 replies

turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:18

AIBU?
Twice I've climbed up on a chair to attempt to replace a battery or something in the stupid thing. Except nothing seems moveable. Well, I nearly fell off the chair, but that's as much movement as there was.

It says 'Mains smoke alarm'. It doesn't appear to have a part that comes off so that you could fit a battery, but it is beeping piercingly loud every five minutes or so. If I can't replace a battery, what am I supposed to do with it? Or how do I stop it beeping?

OP posts:
Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:21

It only started beeping today, but it's loud enough to wake me every 5 minutes tonight, so I really could do with knowing what to do with it to stop it beeping.

OP posts:
Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:21

It's now beeping every 2 minutes. I'm going to fucking destroy it.

OP posts:
PestyMachtubernahme · 15/03/2020 23:24

The little bugger will have a built in battery, to keep it going during power cuts. A ladder is much safer than a chair. Wine may help

FanjoleenaJolly · 15/03/2020 23:24

There will definitely be a battery. The covers are often tricky to remove, there's usually a little slot to like something in to pop it off. If you can see a model number, try searching in YouTube for a tutorial video - that's how I finally wrestled the buggering thing off mine Grin

MrsWednesdayteatime · 15/03/2020 23:24

Mains smoke alarms usually still have a battery backup, when the battery gets low they can still beep

Can you see the manufacturer printed on it? Try googling how to remove the cover

Spiders can also make the beep as they walk between the sensors, giving it a quick vacuum can sometimes help

FanjoleenaJolly · 15/03/2020 23:24

Like = poke

MakeItRain · 15/03/2020 23:24

It will have a part you can remove. When mine did the same I googled it and found a YouTube video about how to replace the batteries in several different types of mains and battery powered smoke alarms. There will be some sort of release mechanism - like little clips you press in, or it may twist?

BlackForestCake · 15/03/2020 23:27

It needs a new battery. No, I don't know why a mains powered alarm also needs a battery.

Does this help?

Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:28

It's now beeping once a minute and I'm either going to kill it or meself. It doesn't seem to be a removeable cover on it. Believe me, I spent about 5 minutes examining it the last time I climbed up. It's not moveable. I feel like Phoebe in Friends. I can see me hacking the bastard off the ceiling to shut it up.

OP posts:
Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:30

I tried twisting. Nothing twists. There's a thing to press, but that just sets off the alarm. I'm not tall so I'm at full arm extension reaching the bastard when I'm on the chair. I don't have a step ladder. I want to kill it.

OP posts:
ThrowThoseCurtainsWide · 15/03/2020 23:30

It will be some sort of squeeze/poke/push and twist manoeuvre. Have a feeling I got mine open with the forceful aid of a flathead screwdriver and had to close it back up with some sellotape... the next time the landlord did a fire safety check they replaced it because it was a bit broken... Grin

MrsWednesdayteatime · 15/03/2020 23:31

Can you do a photo of it? Perhaps a mnetter has the same one?

Tinkletwat · 15/03/2020 23:31

Give it a Hoover, insects can get inside and cause it to beep.

CoronaVera · 15/03/2020 23:32

I had to smash mine when it did this all night.

Fire brigade supplied. Meant to last 10 years. Lasted 2.

Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:33

Fucking hell BlackForest! That looks exactly like the cunt of a yoke I'm dealing with. Except I'm not tall enough to leverage it with a screw driver, plus I don't have one of those square batteries. If this bastard keeps me awake all night I'll kill it with the sweeping brush handle.

OP posts:
Blimeyoreilly2020 · 15/03/2020 23:34

There should be a small slot somewhere you can put a small screw driver in - wiggle it about whilst attempting to slide the cover off in varying directions and you should get there. Take battery out but leave cover off - should stop...worst case go turn the circuit off at the fuse box and deal with it in the morning!! If you post a close up photo of the alarm I may be able to be more use!!

ThrowThoseCurtainsWide · 15/03/2020 23:35

OP have you seen this?

Blimeyoreilly2020 · 15/03/2020 23:36

Ok just seen your most recent post - do you have a modern fuse box? If you can turn the circuit off you at least get yourself sleep time...

UsernameUnknownn · 15/03/2020 23:38

Blackforest A mains powered fire alarm needs a battery in the event of electricity cutting out. It's there as a back up.
Unfortunately OP it won't stop beeping until you either change the battery or take it out. Wouldn't suggest taking it out though tbh 🥴

DoreensEatingHerSoreen · 15/03/2020 23:41
Grin
Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:43

ThrowThoseCurtainsWide PMSL, only for I'd be more likely to fall off the chair than do any damage, I'd have taken a hammer to it myself. Thank Christ I'm not the only one with such an evil device!

I have a fuse box - I'm going to turn it off there if I can - brb.

Ok - turned off the fuse switch that says smoke detector. I will honestly take a hammer to it if it dares to beep at me again.

OP posts:
Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:46

Unfortunately OP it won't stop beeping until you either change the battery or take it out. That would be fine if it was a removable cover. It's not. Well I'm not tall enough to see clearly, but it doesn't look like it's moveable - it seems to be part of the fixture. I'm not going to skull meself falling off a chair over the stupid thing. Thank you to the person who recommended the fuse box switch. It's times like this that you need a man around the place.

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Longdistance · 15/03/2020 23:47

We have one that you slide rather than twist off. It’s a right fucker as although last time we replaced the battery, it still bleeped so replaced the alarm for the same model. We hoovered it too just in case it was dust.
Hope you can sort it out soon.

Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:51

I'm not sure how you're supposed to do anything with this thing. It doesn't appear to have a removable part. I've tried pressing, pushing, twisting, thumping lol

OP posts:
Original poster
turdtimelucky · 15/03/2020 23:54

It's dead now from the mains. I'm aware that's not the wisest decision, but it will get me to sleep tonight. I'll ring the council in the morning to see what they say to do with the bastard. I'm too short to do anything with it. I'll ask my neighbours if they have a ladder. If I could get closer to it and wasn't going to fall, I might be able to do something with the fucker.

OP posts: