Reset a smoke alarm chirping. Is your smoke alarm keeping you up at night beeping and chirping? A hard wired smoke alarm can chirp just like a cheaper battery smoke alarm can. You can reset any smoke alarm and stop it from chirping by pressing the reset button. There may be other factors at play besides a bad battery. We will show what you can do to reset and fix your smoke alarm. Here is info to find out is your smoke alarm is working….
Reset Hard Wired Smoke Alarm That Keeps Chirping
How To Fix A Chirping Smoke Alarm
If your smoke alarm is chirping and will not stop, here is what to do:
1. Use a ladder if needed and get to the chirping smoke alarm.
2. On the bottom of the smoke alarm is a reset button, press it!
3. Keep the reset button held for 30 seconds to reset it and make it stop chirping.
Smoke Alarm Beeping – How To Reset?
If the smoke alarm chirps once again, then there is more you have to do…
Your hard wired smoke detector will chirp because of 3 issues.
1. The battery is dead and needs to be replaced.
2. Dirt or dust has gotten within the sensor.
3. Smoke detector has reached its end of life – replace it.
Smoke Alarm Has Bad Battery
Hard wired smoke alarms have either 2 AA/AAA batteries or a 9 volt battery. (A battery within your smoke alarm should last at least 12 months) The battery within is beeping because it is getting low and warning you to replace the battery. So the chirping noise means the battery needs to be replaced ASAP. The battery acts as a backup if the power in your home goes out.
Replace The Battery If The Smoke Alarm Is Chirping!
How To Replace A Smoke Alarm Battery?
Once the battery has been replaced, press the test button. You should hear a beep to show it is working properly. If the beeping keeps occuring, this tells you the battery was not the issue.
If you replaced the battery and it still chirps, you may have a sensor that has malfunctioned or dirt or dust is blocking the sensor from working properly.
Smoke Alarm Has Blocked Sensor
If the smoke alarm is beeping for no reason and the battery has been replaced, you can try cleaning the sensor off. Turn off power to the alarm, remove the outer cover and blow air or vacuum out the inside of the smoke alarm. This will remove dust, dirt, or gunk that may be blocking the sensor and causing the false alarms and chirps.
A dirty smoke alarm can cause FALSE ALARMS. Keeping the smoke alarm clean will prevent false alarms. If you have cleaned the smoke alarm and it still chirps, keep reading further…
Clean The Smoke Alarm Sensor With Vacuum Or Compressed Air!
How To Clean Smoke Alarms
Smoke Alarm Is Too Old And Needs Replaced
If the smoke alarm is too old, it needs to be replaced. After 8 to 10 years, the smoke alarm has reached its end of life and should be removed and replaced with a new one. When buying a replacement smoke alarm, be sure to order the same model number. Look on the side of the smoke alarm to find the model number. Go to Amazon or Home Depot and type in the model number. You will find the same exact smoke alarm, order it and replace the smoke alarm to prevent false alarms and keep yourself safe.
TIP: If you have a carbon monoxide alarm, here you will find information on how to fix a smoke alarm/carbon monoxide detector
Need help with a smoke alarm? Let us know your issues by using the comment section below.
craig,
It sounds like you may have a hidden hard-wired smoke detector that is still connected to the electrical system, causing the chirping to continue even after removing the visible detectors and replacing the batteries.
First, ensure there’s no actual smoke in your home.
Next, try resetting all of the removed detectors by holding down the reset button.
If the issue persists, turn off the power to the smoke detectors at the circuit breaker, and carefully inspect the ceiling and walls to locate the source of the chirping.
Hope this helps!
-RR
Smoke detector beeps every 22 sec, took it down and replaced battery’s, but now a chirp comes from inside the ceiling, but can not locate the source.
Seems to be hard wired into the electrical system in the ceiling.
All detectors removed and still chirps!
Just purchased in April and had installed fire/coo battery/hardwired combo units. Last week chirping started. Unfortunately on vaulted ceiling so can’t reach it. Unit has a battery with life of ten years. Contractor who installed on vacation for 3 weeks.