Smoke detector going off every 10 minutes

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Table of Contents Show

How smoke detectors work
The hows and whys of monitoring air quality in the home
How to cope
More home security recommendations
How do I stop my smoke alarm from going off every 10 minutes?
Why is my smoke detector beeping every 10 minutes?
Why does my smoke alarm beep every 15 minutes?
Why did my smoke detector go off in the middle of the night for no reason?

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AIBU?

singme · 11/01/2018 12:38

Yesterday the fire brigade broke down my door because the smoke alarm was going off, but there was no fire.

Today I am off work.
There’s building work going on two floors below, I have closed all windows and cleaned all dust as I think this may have been the cause. But it’s still happening! I’m going insane! I tried hoovering the alarm, I unscrewed it and shook a bit of dust out. It’s mains attached so don’t think I can turn it off, plus obviously need a smoke alarm!

Anyone ever had this??

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so there i am, rubbing down the swedish bowling cheerleaders with oil when one looks at me and says...

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

smoke alarm going off. i jump out of bed, and by the time i got into the hallway, they stopped. checked all the rooms, no smoke, no fire.

they went off for a total of about 30-45 seconds. any idea why then would have gone off like that for no reason??

on a related note, with regards to a co2 detector, how would you know if it was a false alarm or not? we currently do NOT have one, so i know thats not what set the alarms off...

any ideas?

We've all experienced the panic of hearing a smoke alarm go off and immediately jumping into action mode -- only to realize there's no emergency. The loud beep is grating and you may even be tempted to remove the batteries, but that could leave your home vulnerable to a real fire.

Before your frustration builds to the point of battery removal -- or insanity, follow these safety and prevention tips. Read more to find out why your smoke detector goes off and how you can deal with the false alarms.

How smoke detectors work

There are two different types of smoke detectors. Ionization smoke detectors have two plates with an electric charge flowing between them. When something -- like smoke -- flows between these two plates, the electric charge is interrupted and the alarm is triggered.

Photoelectric smoke detectors have a small light inside. When something enters the detector and reflects the light onto a sensor, the alarm is triggered.

Notice how both of these types of detectors don't really detect smoke. They're triggered by foreign objects interacting with parts inside the detectors. This means that anything that can float into your smoke detector, like vapor, steam, smoke and large puffs of dust, can trigger your smoke detector.

This is why it may go off when you're cooking, even if you're not burning anything. The steam coming off of the food is triggering the alarm. Hair spray and other aerosols sprayed near the detector can set it off, too.

The hows and whys of monitoring air quality in the home

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How to cope

The most obvious way to cope with annoying smoke detectors is to take them down. But that leaves you vulnerable if there is a real fire and isn't safe at all. Don't do it.

Instead, install your smoke alarms in strategic places, ventilate the area and replace old alarms.

Place your smoke alarms carefully throughout your home. Photoelectric smoke alarms are best near bathrooms and kitchens where there's a lot of steam because humidity doesn't affect them as much. Note that the National Fire Protection Association recommends placing detectors 10 feet (3 meters) from your stove to help prevent false alarms while cooking.

Next, be sure to use your kitchen's exhaust fan when cooking. If you let the smoke and humidity out through the fan's duct, it'll be less likely to set off your smoke alarm. Be sure to also use your exhaust fan or crack a window in the bathroom to prevent humidity or aerosols from wafting out to the alarm.

If you don't have smart smoke detectors, you may want to consider installing them. Some smart detectors include Nest Protect, Halo Smart Labs, First Alert and Roost.

You can quickly shut off these detectors using an app on your phone if there's a false alarm. Smoke detectors are far less aggravating when you don't need to climb on a chair to shut them off.

Read next: Here are our buying guide to help you pick the right smart smoke detector for your home.

Read more: These four projects for beginners will get your home smart in no time.

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How do I stop my smoke alarm from going off every 10 minutes?

First, try the reset button on each smoke alarm. If that doesn't work, flipping the circuit breaker off and back on might stop the noise. If all of that fails, your ultimate solution may be to disconnect the smoke alarms and remove their batteries one by one.

Why is my smoke detector beeping every 10 minutes?

Consistent Chirping If a smoke alarm is chirping consistently, one of the following may be the reason: The battery may need to be replaced. An alarm will chirp every 30 to 60 seconds for a minimum of seven days. With a "low battery" announcement, disconnect the unit and replace the batteries.

Why does my smoke alarm beep every 15 minutes?

One beep, at 15-minute intervals = LOW BATTERY. The battery for your alarm is wearing out. You need to replace it.

Why did my smoke detector go off in the middle of the night for no reason?

This battery characteristic can cause a smoke alarm to enter the low battery chirp mode when air temperatures drop. Most homes are the coolest between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. That's why the alarm may sound a low-battery chirp in the middle of the night, and then stop when the home warms up a few degrees.