Hard Wired Smoke Alarm

[Dan Stuewe]

The smoke alarm that is wired to the alarm system in our home (came with the house, previous owners didn't use it, so we haven't either) is sqwaking every once and awhile. It is like when a battery powered smoke alarm is running low on juice. Does anyone here know what it is trying to tell me? Better, how do I get it to stop? We have several battery powered smoke alarms installed so we're covered if this one is toast.

Thanks,

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dan.....get a can of compressed air used with computers and such and try blowing out the thing. I suspect dust build up over the years could be causing it to alarm.

[Dave Richards]

It could be that the battery is low and needs to replaced. We have 7 hardwired smoke detectors in our house. Five of them (all in the finished basement) have battery backup. When one of them gets to chirping it turns into a game to figure out which one.

[Jeff Heil]

We also play that game. I just wish the battery didn't get low and start chirping in the middle of the night. Our units are AC with a DC 9volt backup. I think I have changed them all as they started chirping. I vowed after the last middle of the night awakening to just buy a large pack of 9volts and change them all anually. We have one in each bedroom and a hallway unit also. Makes it fun to figure out which one is chirping as you are half awake in the dark.

I see the units have 2008 stamped on them as well as the 2003 manuafacture date. Does anyone know if these units need to be replaced after 5 years or if they are good for longer? We built out house in 2003 and all the units were new then.

[Jamie Buxton]

Is it a carbon monoxide detector, not a smoke detector? CO detectors need to be replaced every five years or so -- check the manufacturer's instructions. They generally do some polite beeping to warn you that it is time. It is not simply a matter of the battery getting exhausted. The chemistry in the detector gradually wears out, and replacement is the only fix.

[Dan Stuewe]

Thanks for the replies. A couple of shots of compressed air seems to have done the trick. We haven't heard it for a couple days now.

Thanks again!