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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be frightened and confused about this?

36 replies

Smokealarmwoe · 05/12/2022 18:28

So last night at about 4am, our smoke alarm decided to go off. We checked the entire house and there wasn’t any smoke or fires, and nothing was left plugged in or switched on. I can’t figure out why it went off or what caused it! It was quite frightening.

The smoke alarm itself is working and isn’t damaged and it’s not overly sensitive either- it’s not the kind of alarm that goes off when dinner is being cooked! It’s only ever gone off if there’s enough smoke, eg when something was burning in the grill etc. The batteries aren’t flat either- they were replaced and checked recently. It’s working fine today and hasn’t gone off since.

It was really spookey actually and I got such a fright. I feel like instinct completely kicked in and without even thinking about it I sort of threw myself out of bed and ran downstairs to see what was happening. I got such a fright though and it was scary, just cant figure out what could have caused it! I didn’t have to switch it off either, it switched itself off after 2 minutes or so.

OP posts:
DuplicateUserName · 05/12/2022 18:31

A very quick Google brought up this...

Why do smoke alarms keep going off even when there's no smoke? The most likely reason smoke detectors go off unexpectedly is that people aren't changing the batteries in them often enough. In most sensors you might think of, the strength of the signal goes up when they detect what they're supposed to.

If you think it's not the battery, bin it and get a new one.

No need to be scared.

RobinHumphries · 05/12/2022 18:31

A spider had got in the unit and set it off

Keyansier · 05/12/2022 18:33

People are being unnecessarily unkind and horrible in their responses so far OP.

I doubt they would be so calm and sneery themselves if they were abruptly woken up from slumber by a fire alarm at 4am in their house, immediately thinking their house was burning down. Flowers

Bessica1970 · 05/12/2022 18:34

Yep, spiders!

cardibach · 05/12/2022 18:35

Keyansier · 05/12/2022 18:33

People are being unnecessarily unkind and horrible in their responses so far OP.

I doubt they would be so calm and sneery themselves if they were abruptly woken up from slumber by a fire alarm at 4am in their house, immediately thinking their house was burning down. Flowers

Eh? No unpleasantness I can see, just advice.

Bessica1970 · 05/12/2022 18:36

“People are being unnecessarily unkind and horrible in their responses so far OP“

I can’t see any unkind comments - just people making suggestions 🙄

Hugasauras · 05/12/2022 18:42

God it fairly puts the fear of god into you doesn't it? Our carbon monoxide alarm went off at 5am a few months ago. My husband hared downstairs totally starkers as we thought it was the fire alarm and I was in an absolute panic grabbing the kids and thinking about whether I should go for the front door or wait till husband shouted if it was safe.

Turns out ours was a dodgy boiler, but the adrenaline from that alarm waking us all up was with me all day! At least we know it works now.

JustALittleHelpPlease · 05/12/2022 18:44

Spiders and dust are known triggers - basically there are known triggers for false alarms so I wouldn't fret too much. Keep an eye to make sure it is working (test it once a week or so). Make sure it has been cleaned according to the instructions. Otherwise don't worry, it does happen Smile

PriamFarrl · 05/12/2022 18:46

Keyansier · 05/12/2022 18:33

People are being unnecessarily unkind and horrible in their responses so far OP.

I doubt they would be so calm and sneery themselves if they were abruptly woken up from slumber by a fire alarm at 4am in their house, immediately thinking their house was burning down. Flowers

Eh? There were two responses before this. Neither were sneering or unkind.

PriamFarrl · 05/12/2022 18:47

I can imagine it was quite the shock. I’d get a replacement to be on the safe side as it has some kind of fault.

If it happens again then you have a toast making ghost.

DuplicateUserName · 05/12/2022 18:54

Keyansier · 05/12/2022 18:33

People are being unnecessarily unkind and horrible in their responses so far OP.

I doubt they would be so calm and sneery themselves if they were abruptly woken up from slumber by a fire alarm at 4am in their house, immediately thinking their house was burning down. Flowers

Eh? What are you going on about?

The OP wants to know if she's being unreasonable to be frightened and confused about this.

She is yes, because a quick Google would explain it.

Keyansier · 05/12/2022 19:03

DuplicateUserName · 05/12/2022 18:54

Eh? What are you going on about?

The OP wants to know if she's being unreasonable to be frightened and confused about this.

She is yes, because a quick Google would explain it.

Show quote history

Well I don't think she was. I think it must have been frightening. I am allowed to have a different opinion to others you know.

pictish · 05/12/2022 19:04

YAB a bit u to be frightened.

Lookthereisarobin · 05/12/2022 19:06

Ours did this in the house we were in last. Replaced the battery, it would still do it every so often, night and day. Beep a few times then turn itself off. I never figured out what it was, hoovered every other day but could have still been dust.
That house was very damp too but I don't know if that made a difference 🤔

Either way, nothing to worry about I don't think if you know it is working

Brokenlightbulb · 05/12/2022 19:10

One of mine which was several years old started going off for no reason. I replaced it. I think they do come to the end of their life span after a few years and start to play up. It does frighten the bejaysus out of you in the middle of the night.

Newlifestartingatlast · 05/12/2022 19:12

RobinHumphries · 05/12/2022 18:31

A spider had got in the unit and set it off

This or a small fly…has happened to me

dooneyousmugelf · 05/12/2022 19:13

This exact scenario happened to me a few weeks ago and I was googling wtf it could be at about 4 in the morning!
Then it happened again earlier. Tracked the sound down this time and it turned out to actually be the carbon monoxide detector. It needed replacing after 7 years so was sounding the reminder.

Newlifestartingatlast · 05/12/2022 19:14

fire alarms in middle of night scare the shit out of you. As does the annoying beep when the batteries run out.
I moved last year. 2 weeks before move “beep, beep …” at 2am
6 months ago in ,y new house “beep, beep..” at 1:30am

why can’t the bastard batteries run out in daytime - it malicious of them

OldTinHat · 05/12/2022 19:15

Mine went off yesterday, battery was brand new about three weeks ago.

I took the battery out. It went off again ten minutes later...

I've ordered a new one.

DoubleHelix79 · 05/12/2022 19:17

Check how old they are. Ours kept doing that, scaring the life out of us several times. Usually at 3 am.

Turns out they don't last forever, even new batteries won't fix it. Replacing them fixed it instantly.

jayho · 05/12/2022 19:19

I rent so have mains connected smoke alarms. they've gone off a couple of times and it's fucking terrifying as the whole house goes off. Dust and spiders. I hoover them everytime I pass now. I've got a good landlord so they've come out to check each time.

Sympathise massively though - it's awful plus kids running around asking what they should do, discovered I'm not a superhero, more of a shaking-in-the-corner type person.

Iizzyb · 05/12/2022 19:19

Most likely batteries need replacing. Has happened to us before. We replaced them when they started the second time as they were clearly past their best.

I remember reading why it happens in the middle of the night - it's when the temp in the house is lowest

Backtoreality1 · 05/12/2022 19:22

Sometimes they can go off if the air temp is too low as well 😊

Southwig22 · 05/12/2022 19:24

Not sure what you want voting on, but I've had the same experience. Was told it was probably a bit of dust in the detector.

Mushroomlady · 05/12/2022 19:24

Bessica1970 · 05/12/2022 18:34

Yep, spiders!

Do you mean to say that a spider rubbed his willy on the fire alarm and set it off?