Does Your Smoke Alarm Keeps Beeping? 7 Causes Of False Alarms
By Home Safety Store|November 11, 2022
Emitting a sound of roughly 85dB, a typical residential smoke alarm is loud enough to wake one from their deepest slumber when it goes off. Although this factor is essential in providing early warning during an emergency, the life-saving siren can be a huge nuisance when it triggers unnecessarily.
These false alarms – also known as “nuisance alarms” – are so bothersome that many homeowners resort to removing the batteries from their smoke alarms to prevent the ear-splitting sound from reoccurring. Tragically, this fatal mistake kills dozens of Australians yearly – non-functioning smoke alarms are the leading cause of preventable house fire deaths.
To discourage you from making the same deadly error, we have compiled a list of the top seven reasons your smoke alarm might be beeping. Once you understand what causes false alarms – or persistent beeping – you will be able to resolve the problem without putting yourself in danger.
1. Dying battery
If your smoke alarm makes a persistent, intermittent beeping sound, your battery-operated smoke detectors are most likely running flat. Smoke alarms are programmed to let out a continual high-pitched beep when the unit detects the battery is running low. Even 240v mains will have a removable backup battery that eventually needs to be replaced.
So, if this occurs in your house, resist the urge to remove the battery to stop the undeniably infuriating sound. Instead, simply swap out the old battery for a new one – it only takes a few minutes and could save your life.
2. Burned food
Believe it or not, one of the most common causes of a false alarm is overcooked food. Depending on the sensitivity and location of your smoke alarm, even a slightly overcooked roast lamb could be enough to sound a nuisance alarm.
As smoke particles arise from your charred dinner and penetrate the air, they will enter the chamber of your smoke detector and trigger the alarm. The most common culprit is burnt toast – the resulting smoke could trigger an alarm from the other side of the house.
3. Proximity to your stove
As mentioned, cooking is the leading cause of false alarms in residential smoke alarms. Hence, it pays to get strategic about where you place your device. A smoke alarm placed within three metres of your stove or toaster will almost certainly result in nuisance alarms. Some homeowners avoid putting smoke alarms in their kitchens altogether, instead opting to place the device in a nearby hallway.
Similarly, you should also be wary of installing smoke alarms close to a frequently used door or window – drafts and strong winds can blow dust into the chamber, which the device may confuse with smoke and trigger the alarm.
4. Presence of insects
Is your smoke alarm still triggering a false alarm despite being positioned far from your kitchen? If that is the case, your device may be housing a wayward insect. The chamber inside a smoke alarm is just wide enough for a tiny insect to crawl in. Once inside, its little body can interfere with the sensors and trigger the alarm repeatedly.
To prevent this, it is best to invest in a high-quality smoke alarm that comes with an in-built anti-insect screen. However, do keep in mind that these are not always foolproof. Either way, it is worth examining your smoke alarm regularly to ensure no insects have crawled in and made a home of your smoke alarm.
5. Overflow of steam
Steam causes the air to become dense, creating a high concentration of particles. When they enter the chamber of your smoke alarm, these particles may be thick enough to scatter the light beam and trigger the alarm.
Due to this occurrence, installing a smoke alarm inside your bathroom with a hot shower is not recommended shower. Also, if your smoke alarm is located right outside your bathroom, escaping humidity could be causing the nuisance alarm.
6. Chemical odours
Strong chemical smells have been known to interfere with a smoke alarm. If you are in the process of deep cleaning or renovating your home, some of the chemicals from the products you are using could be triggering a false alarm.
Thankfully, no matter how pungent, non-chemical odours like dirty laundry and bodily gasses generally will not trigger a smoke alarm.
7. Extremely dusty
To ensure your smoke alarm functions correctly for a long period of time, you have to vacuum it regularly. This step is essential because smoke can be prevented from flowing into the device if too much dust accumulates in the entryway to the chamber. That could delay or prevent the alarm from triggering in an actual emergency.
Furthermore, some smoke detectors can mistake dust particles for smoke and trigger a false alarm. Therefore, it is best to check and clean your smoke alarms annually.
Invest in high-quality smoke alarms
Not only are false alarms annoying, but they can also be deadly should you succumb to temptation and remove the batteries. However, if properly positioned and maintained, high-quality smoke alarms from trusted manufacturers such as Lifesaver will rarely trigger a nuisance alarm.
If you are looking for a Lifesaver smoke alarm in Australia, then take a look at our catalogue today. We offer a wide range of reputable, high-quality products, so you can buy smoke alarms with confidence.
These false alarms – also known as “nuisance alarms” – are so bothersome that many homeowners resort to removing the batteries from their smoke alarms to prevent the ear-splitting sound from reoccurring. Tragically, this fatal mistake kills dozens of Australians yearly – non-functioning smoke alarms are the leading cause of preventable house fire deaths.
To discourage you from making the same deadly error, we have compiled a list of the top seven reasons your smoke alarm might be beeping. Once you understand what causes false alarms – or persistent beeping – you will be able to resolve the problem without putting yourself in danger.
1. Dying battery
If your smoke alarm makes a persistent, intermittent beeping sound, your battery-operated smoke detectors are most likely running flat. Smoke alarms are programmed to let out a continual high-pitched beep when the unit detects the battery is running low. Even 240v mains will have a removable backup battery that eventually needs to be replaced.
So, if this occurs in your house, resist the urge to remove the battery to stop the undeniably infuriating sound. Instead, simply swap out the old battery for a new one – it only takes a few minutes and could save your life.
2. Burned food
Believe it or not, one of the most common causes of a false alarm is overcooked food. Depending on the sensitivity and location of your smoke alarm, even a slightly overcooked roast lamb could be enough to sound a nuisance alarm.
As smoke particles arise from your charred dinner and penetrate the air, they will enter the chamber of your smoke detector and trigger the alarm. The most common culprit is burnt toast – the resulting smoke could trigger an alarm from the other side of the house.
3. Proximity to your stove
As mentioned, cooking is the leading cause of false alarms in residential smoke alarms. Hence, it pays to get strategic about where you place your device. A smoke alarm placed within three metres of your stove or toaster will almost certainly result in nuisance alarms. Some homeowners avoid putting smoke alarms in their kitchens altogether, instead opting to place the device in a nearby hallway.
Similarly, you should also be wary of installing smoke alarms close to a frequently used door or window – drafts and strong winds can blow dust into the chamber, which the device may confuse with smoke and trigger the alarm.
4. Presence of insects
Is your smoke alarm still triggering a false alarm despite being positioned far from your kitchen? If that is the case, your device may be housing a wayward insect. The chamber inside a smoke alarm is just wide enough for a tiny insect to crawl in. Once inside, its little body can interfere with the sensors and trigger the alarm repeatedly.
To prevent this, it is best to invest in a high-quality smoke alarm that comes with an in-built anti-insect screen. However, do keep in mind that these are not always foolproof. Either way, it is worth examining your smoke alarm regularly to ensure no insects have crawled in and made a home of your smoke alarm.
5. Overflow of steam
Steam causes the air to become dense, creating a high concentration of particles. When they enter the chamber of your smoke alarm, these particles may be thick enough to scatter the light beam and trigger the alarm.
Due to this occurrence, installing a smoke alarm inside your bathroom with a hot shower is not recommended shower. Also, if your smoke alarm is located right outside your bathroom, escaping humidity could be causing the nuisance alarm.
6. Chemical odours
Strong chemical smells have been known to interfere with a smoke alarm. If you are in the process of deep cleaning or renovating your home, some of the chemicals from the products you are using could be triggering a false alarm.
Thankfully, no matter how pungent, non-chemical odours like dirty laundry and bodily gasses generally will not trigger a smoke alarm.
7. Extremely dusty
To ensure your smoke alarm functions correctly for a long period of time, you have to vacuum it regularly. This step is essential because smoke can be prevented from flowing into the device if too much dust accumulates in the entryway to the chamber. That could delay or prevent the alarm from triggering in an actual emergency.
Furthermore, some smoke detectors can mistake dust particles for smoke and trigger a false alarm. Therefore, it is best to check and clean your smoke alarms annually.
Invest in high-quality smoke alarms
Not only are false alarms annoying, but they can also be deadly should you succumb to temptation and remove the batteries. However, if properly positioned and maintained, high-quality smoke alarms from trusted manufacturers such as Lifesaver will rarely trigger a nuisance alarm.
If you are looking for a Lifesaver smoke alarm in Australia, then take a look at our catalogue today. We offer a wide range of reputable, high-quality products, so you can buy smoke alarms with confidence.
