Fire Detector Issue / Question

[migtig]

So our home is 9+ years old.

Over the course of the past few months, the fire detector outside our bedroom has been erupting into a frenzy at the most random hours.

So I nag my husband, but the batteries been changed several times (to ensure the batteries are good/fresh). However, it keeps doing it...again...and again...and again. It's just a real PITA, as anybody who has been woken repeatedly by a fire detector can attest to.

So we consider the possibility that the fire detectors are too old or defective even, so my husband replaced them. Several nights of sweet sweet sleep, and then it started going off again last night. This alarm is much worse sounding than the last.

So my thinking is, could this be a possible wiring problem? Or could it be possible that since we close the bedroom doors at night that the fire alarm senses a rise of heat in the hallway with no air circulation?

Any thoughts?

 

[stew77]

so if it is hard wired into the house, just un hook it! Go and buy yourselves a battery powered smoke detector, and mount it next to the one that you have removed the wires from. Then REMEMBER everytime you Spring Forward or Fall Back, make it a point to change the batteries!! I did this to the two Fire/smoke detectors in my house and have not had a problem. YOU MUST REMEMBER to CHANGE the Batteries though..!

 

[JeJeTe]

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire....



Sorry..I couldn't resist.

 

[abcxyz]

Energizers? I've had a few bad batches of them.

Get a fresh pack of Duracell's and see if that fixes it.

 

[migtig]

so if it is hard wired into the house, just un hook it! Go and buy yourselves a battery powered smoke detector, and mount it next to the one that you have removed the wires from. Then REMEMBER everytime you Spring Forward or Fall Back, make it a point to change the batteries!! I did this to the two Fire/smoke detectors in my house and have not had a problem. YOU MUST REMEMBER to CHANGE the Batteries though..!

Ahh, but now I'm worried we have a wiring issue, which could potentially cause a fire.

 

[mv_princess]

It's a ghost.

 

[Homer J]

If they are like the ones in my house, they are all wired together. If one goes off, they all go off. Makes it tough to tell which one originally started the alarm. When you replaced them, did you replace them all? If you have one if a dusty area, the dust could get into the sensor and cause a false alarm too. Just spitballin here.

 

[MMDad]

Smoke detector or fire detector? Heat will not set off a smoke detector. Is it in the airflow path for your HVAC? It could be gathering enough dust to set off the smoke detector. Or you could have spiders living in it and their 10,000 baby spiders are setting it off. If you try to blow dust out, be careful not to inhale any spiders.

Are you sure it isn't a combo smoke/CO detector?

After replacing batteries, does it work for a while then start doing it again? If so, then it could be wiring. I'd check the voltage.

I had wired detectors, but when I went to replace them I couldn't find one that fit the existing plug so I went to the battery type.

 

[CobbWeb]

Could be

So our home is 9+ years old.

Over the course of the past few months, the fire detector outside our bedroom has been erupting into a frenzy at the most random hours.

So I nag my husband, but the batteries been changed several times (to ensure the batteries are good/fresh). However, it keeps doing it...again...and again...and again. It's just a real PITA, as anybody who has been woken repeatedly by a fire detector can attest to.

So we consider the possibility that the fire detectors are too old or defective even, so my husband replaced them. Several nights of sweet sweet sleep, and then it started going off again last night. This alarm is much worse sounding than the last.

So my thinking is, could this be a possible wiring problem? Or could it be possible that since we close the bedroom doors at night that the fire alarm senses a rise of heat in the hallway with no air circulation?

Any thoughts?

There are a few things, first the detector does not detect heat or fire unless you have installed flame or heat detectors, which is doubtful. Most smoke detectors have a photo eye and when disrupted they alarm, occasionally dust, spiders, etc can cause a faulty activation. One other common cause is air flow, if there is air contantly blowing on the detector this can cause it to alarm. Check to make sure no air vents are blowing dirctly at the detector, make sure its clean. Also if you have multiple detectors in your house they may be wired together in series, so if one goes off they all go off. The problem could actually be with one of the other detectors. Some detectors are combination smoke and carbon monoxide if you have one of these you may want to have the fire dept. come out when it alarms to rule out a potentially fatal carbon monoxide issue. It is not likely a wiring issue but it would'nt hurt to check all the wiring connections to make sure something was'nt pulled loose when you were changing a battery or the detector. Oh yeah most are electric with battery backup so make sure the batteries have been installed and or changed in all detectors. Good Luck!!

 

[migtig]

It's a ghost.

 

[ICit]

Ahh, but now I'm worried we have a wiring issue, which could potentially cause a fire.

One of mine started doing that.... hell... i unhooked it.. and got a new one....

no issues!!

girl... I have two upstairs next to each other and two down stairs (not including the one that doesnt work)

the two new ones are tied into my security system..... so i will know if there is a fire at the house so i can send help for the dogs

It's a ghost.

... she is at the wrong house

 

[mv_princess]

One of mine started doing that.... hell... i unhooked it.. and got a new one....

no issues!!

girl... I have two upstairs next to each other and two down stairs (not including the one that doesnt work)

the two new ones are tied into my security system..... so i will know if there is a fire at the house so i can send help for the dogs




... she is at the wrong house

I've seen the old church next door....no she isn't.

 

[ICit]

I've seen the old church next door....no she isn't.

 

[migtig]

If they are like the ones in my house, they are all wired together. If one goes off, they all go off. Makes it tough to tell which one originally started the alarm. When you replaced them, did you replace them all? If you have one if a dusty area, the dust could get into the sensor and cause a false alarm too. Just spitballin here.

They all were replaced, but one is in a dusty area.

Smoke detector or fire detector? Heat will not set off a smoke detector. Is it in the airflow path for your HVAC? It could be gathering enough dust to set off the smoke detector. Or you could have spiders living in it and their 10,000 baby spiders are setting it off. If you try to blow dust out, be careful not to inhale any spiders.

Are you sure it isn't a combo smoke/CO detector?

After replacing batteries, does it work for a while then start doing it again? If so, then it could be wiring. I'd check the voltage.

I had wired detectors, but when I went to replace them I couldn't find one that fit the existing plug so I went to the battery type.

I have no clue what type it is... But checking the air flow is a great idea. But the voltage I think should be checked too, because it seems fine then starts going off again.

There are a few things, first the detector does not detect heat or fire unless you have installed flame detectors, which is doubtful. Most smoke detectors have a photo eye and when disrupted they alarm, occasionally dust, spiders, etc can cause a faulty activation. One other common cause is air flow, if there is air contantly blowing on the detector this can cause it to alarm. Check to make sure no air vents are blowing dirctly at the detector, make sure its clean. Also if you have multiple detectors in your house they may be wired together in series, so if one goes off they all go off. The problem could actually be with one of the other detectors. Some detectors are combination smoke and carbon monoxide if you have one of these you may want to have the fire dept. come out when it alarms to rule out a potentially fatal carbon monoxide issue. It is not likely a wiring issue but it would'nt hurt to check all the wiring conection to make sure something was'nt pulled loose when you were changing a battery or the detector. Oh yeah most are electric with battery backup so make sure the batteries have been installed and or changed in all detectors. Good Luck!!

Air flow and dust seems to be the big themes here. Definitely will be checking these issues.

I'm thinking it has to be tied to air flow. Since the onset of cold winter we've been closing our bedroom door and this seems to be tied to about the time this whole random alarm thing started.

 

[slotpuppy]

I am thinking like cobb and MM said, you may have a combo fire/co2 detector. I have those in my house and they have a voice on them to tell you if it is fire or co2. If you have gas furnace in your house, I would get it checked for leaks.

 

[itsbob]

They all were replaced, but one is in a dusty area.


I have no clue what type it is... But checking the air flow is a great idea. But the voltage I think should be checked too, because it seems fine then starts going off again.



Air flow and dust seems to be the big themes here. Definitely will be checking these issues.

I'm thinking it has to be tied to air flow. Since the onset of cold winter we've been closing our bedroom door and this seems to be tied to about the time this whole random alarm thing started.

Voltage and resistance..

Have to do some research to find out what the two values should be.

BUt that it's an intermittent problem my guess would be that when you check it it will be fine.. then the alarm goes off the next day when the mice start chewing on the wire in the attic again.

 

[migtig]

Voltage and resistance..

Have to do some research to find out what the two values should be.

BUt that it's an intermittent problem my guess would be that when you check it it will be fine.. then the alarm goes off the next day when the mice start chewing on the wire in the attic again.

I wonder if it's one of those darn vole/moles from my yard.... I'm very proud of my neighbor's cat for patiently stalking and killing the critters in the yard.

 

[CobbWeb]

Co

I am thinking like cobb and MM said, you may have a combo fire/co2 detector. I have those in my house and they have a voice on them to tell you if it is fire or co2. If you have gas furnace in your house, I would get it checked for leaks.

Its CO for carbon monoxide, CO2 is carbon dioxide.

 

[MMDad]

Voltage and resistance..

Have to do some research to find out what the two values should be.

BUt that it's an intermittent problem my guess would be that when you check it it will be fine.. then the alarm goes off the next day when the mice start chewing on the wire in the attic again.

If it's wiring, then the low voltage can cause the battery to drain faster. And please don't try to measure the resistance of the wiring unless you like to see sparks. If you cut power, you still see it as an open which means nothing. The only thing a resistance check could do is detect a short, but since the breaker isn't tripping and the house isn't on fire, that's not likely.

 

[slotpuppy]

Its CO for carbon monoxide, CO2 is carbon dioxide.