Why does my smoke alarm keep beeping?
As an electrician in Hull, providing electrical services to our customers we hear this question a lot. People find it annoying (which it is) but it’s the smoke alarm doing its job and alerting you to fact that you need to take action. There are many reasons a smoke alarm could be beeping at a certain interval, but below discusses the most common cause.
When we talk about smoke alarms here, we are also referring to heat alarms at the same time.
Firstly there are two types of smoke alarm, one which is solely powered by a battery, and the second, which is hardwired (has a wired connection).
When a smoke alarm is making a repeatable beeping sound, this should never be ignored or disconnected and should be investigated as a matter of priority.
Battery Operated
This is a tell tale sign that the battery powering the unit is getting weak and requires the battery replacing or the unit itself. If replacing the battery, then this is a good opportunity to check the expiry date of the smoke alarm unit itself. The reason for checking the expiry date is that smoke alarm sensors will degrade over time, leading to a reduced sensitivity in detecting heat or smoke. In most cases this can be done by the home owner or by somebody who is competent, however if there are any concerns, stop, and C & J Electrical Services LTD will be happy to assist.
Hardwired
Smoke alarms can be hardwired, supplied by their own dedicated circuit or via a lighting circuit and will be interlinked (physically or wirelessly) with any other smoke alarms in the property. Hardwired smoke alarms are commonly found in new build properties, recently rewired properties, rentals and commercial premises. A repeatable beeping sound can indicate a weak back up battery or an issue with the circuit suppling the smoke alarm, which has caused the back up battery to become depleted. In this case it is recommended that a registered electrician is sought, such as C & J Electrical Services LTD, in you live in Hull and the surrounding area.
