Why Is My Smoke Detector Going Off?

A smoke detector is an extremely important piece of safety equipment. Its warning can save lives, alert emergency personnel, and keep families safe. However, for the majority of us, the only time we interact with our smoke alarms is because of false alarms. Here are a few reasons your smoke alarm is going off and how to fix them.

Low Battery in Your Smoke Detector

Smoke detectors work by sensing smoke in the air. They are designed to go off when their electrical current decreases. This is because smoke in the air will cause issues with the electrical current. But another thing that causes issues with electrical currents is a lack of battery power. This is why your alarm might go off seemingly randomly. You should always check your smoke detector’s battery power and try replacing your battery. The battery is supposed to be replaced every six months, if you can’t remember the last time you changed the battery, it is probably time to do it. If the alarm is still going off there could be other reasons:

Too Close To Heat Sources

Some homes put smoke detectors in poor locations. While you want at least one detector per floor of your home, having too many or detectors in the wrong rooms can get annoying quickly. Smoke detectors that are close to the bathroom or kitchen are frequently going to go off. Steam from showers or smoke from your dinner can quickly cause an alarm. If you believe your detector is going off because of a non-safety threatening activity (i.e. steam from the bathroom or smoke from the oven) The best thing to do is to open windows and use a towel to fan away smoke/steam from the smoke detector. Do not try to turn off your detector.

An Old Detector

Older detectors are not as finely tuned as modern ones. Old detectors can sometimes react to volatile organic compounds found in paints or other compounds that are commonly used around the home. Other older detectors might have wiring issues causing uneven electrical currents. If your smoke detector randomly goes off, has a new battery, and there is no reason for it to go off, you may need it repaired or replaced.

Smoke Detector Repair/Replacement in Boston

ECS Carpet Cleaners provides a variety of handyman services to businesses and homes in Arlington, Woburn, and greater Boston. If you need your carbon monoxide detector or smoke detector replaced/repaired, please give us a call today.