Chirping Smoke Detector System
Mike from Garland, Texas
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RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
I've had crazy on and off chirping from my upstairs smoke detector for close to two years. I've replaced the battery three times at least. It's been silent for close to 6 months but tonight was going full blast alarm when I got home. (my poor cat!). About 3 mins after replacing the battery (again), the 30 sec chirp started again. OMG! I thought I would try the post about pulling the battery leads closer to the battery and voila. I haven't heard a chirp from my detector for close to 10 minutes now. Thanks to the person that posted that terrific advice! If your battery is not in backwards, try pulling the metal pieces a little closer before reinstalling the battery. It worked for me!
Post by tikidiesel
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
I had the exact same problem; chirping every 30 seconds in a hard wired smoke alarm despite changing the battery & ensuring the battery was fresh and installed properly. After frustration and considering replacing the whole dang unit, it occurred to me that the battery, although installed properly, was no longer making a good connection with the two connector plates at the end where the +/- leads connect. There was the tiniest hair-breadth play or movement of the battery. So I simply took a letter opener (or pen, screw driver, whatever), and slightly bent/pulled out each of the two metal connector plates. These had been pressed down flat over time, and the battery leads were barely touching them. As soon as I pulled them out, when I reinstalled the battery it was in really tight and the leads made a solid connection with the connector plates - VOILA, the chirping stopped and my problem was solved! Hope this helps!
Post by LisaLG
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
Make sure your battery has not expired. We just discovered our newly replaced battery expired in 2007 (and wondered why the smoke detector was still chirping!). Replaced with a non-expired battery, two final beeps, and blessed silence; all is good.
Post by liv4shoes
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
I too have a chirping smoke detector. It's over 15 feet high so I don't even have a ladder to reach. The Fire Dept. kindly came out...tried updating the batteries in ALL detectors, blew them out for dust, and inspected the problem one. No change! It's still chirping. I want to just rip them all out - what the heck?! What is the answer!?
Post by linda2844hh
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
I have a HEAT detector in my garage that is hardwired into the house. It will not stop beeping and I cannot remove the cover. I've looked up the model and it's been discontinued. Do you have any ideas on how to get it to stop beeping?
Post by lvnlrge13
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
My chirping smoke detector chirps about every 15 seconds. I have replaced batteries in both that are wired together. I found the only way to stop it was to disconnect hard wired connectors. Both still have batteries and operate independently but do not trigger the other one. Since both are only about 20 feet apart, it is not a complete disaster but why would it only beep when hooked up to hard wire?
Post By cpmr (Guest Post)
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
Like a person stated upbove, one of your batteries is in backwards. This has happened twice to me and sure enough, one of the batteries was in backwards. It's easy to have happen when you are standing on a tall ladder breaking your neck to look at it upside down and worrying that you will loose your footing. My Husband swore he put it in the right way.......uh huh!
Post By cderowski (Guest Post)
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
Any suggestion about the speaker?
Post By Marcelo (Guest Post)
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
"Disconnecting the detector physically and electrically does not stop the chirp." Seems to disqualify some of the posters' advice above.
Muffle the detector by hand. Does beeping muffle? If so, it is the detector at fault, you must have the battery in place still, follow the advice by other posters. If not, it's not this detector! It's a nearby CO detector or other nearby smoke detector. This sound is hard to localize! Maybe an old detector lying in a drawer, that you have since replaced, but still has a battery in it?
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
I have 4 hardwired smoke alarms in my home and repaced all the batteries, upon returning from a lengthy trip recently, as they began to chirp. Within 5 days they started chirping again and the batteries were hot to the touch. What do you think is wrong?
Post By Paulette (Guest Post)
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
I have a electrical smoke detector thats chirping like you know what. How do you open them to replace the battery or check it out without getting electricuted?
Post By fred (Guest Post)
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
This has happened to me,...it took about a week to figure it out. The electrician actually had one of the batteries in backwards. If I were you,..go around & make sure all of the batteries are in correctly. We had to call the manufacturer of the alarms,...they said they were made like that for "security" purposes. I hope this helps.
Post By Mandy (Guest Post)
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
Yes it is true that shorts can develop in the wiring in hardwired smoke detectors. Would your local fire department check it for free for you? It's worth enquiring at least. A big buggaboo of smoke detectors believe it or not, is dust in the sensors. Remove the top and batteries and vaccuum it out using the brush attachment of your vaccuum. Spiderwebs and housedust can cause the sensors to chirp. This last advice is from my husband who is a firefighter. The vaccuuming should be done to all detectors regularly, a good time is the twice yearly time that is recommended to change the batteries and do a manual check.
Post by thriftmeg
RE: Chirping Smoke Detector System
Yep, we had this once, it was a short in the wiring. It had to be fixed by a repair guy.
Post by michawnpita
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