Mulberry Blog

Why is your smoke alarm beeping?

Written by Justin Smith | Jun 30, 2023 12:30:00 PM

As you probably already know, smoke alarms are vital home safety devices that help you remain alert of smoke and fire and evade dangerous situations. However, sometimes these devices can wind up causing more headaches than anything else, and you might find yourself wondering why yours is making noise when nothing is wrong.

A smoke alarm and the parts that go with it are prime candidates for product protection because of how necessary they are and also the high potential for something to go wrong. When you subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited, you'll get coverage for all your online purchases under the same product protection plan, meaning you won't have to worry (or pay) if your smoke alarm starts to malfunction.

Smoke alarm beeping: reasons and resolutions

If you need to know how to stop your smoke alarm from chirping, you need to know why it’s making noise in the first place. Follow the tips below to address a smoke alarm blinking red and/or beeping.

Low battery

The most common cause of smoke alarm beeping is a low battery. When your smoke alarm battery reaches a certain level, the device will beep periodically to let you know the battery needs to be replaced. This beeping might feel like it’s been going on for a while, but that’s just to give you more time to change the battery.

If you change the battery and the beeping persists, consider some of the other potential causes below.

Dust and debris

Smoke detector beeping can sometimes be a result of too much dust and debris accumulating in the device over time. You can keep your device clean with a soft brush attachment on a gentle vacuum to prevent unwanted buildup.

Too much dust and debris can also lead to sensor issues, which will affect the overall performance of your smoke alarm. This can lead to false alarms that disrupt your day or sleep schedule. As mentioned before, keeping your alarm clean is essential to ensure it doesn’t mistake dust for smoke or fire-related debris.

Interconnection problems

If you have a multi-connected system of smoke alarms in your house, sometimes malfunctions can result in miscommunication between devices, which causes an alarm to sound when it shouldn’t. If the above reasons haven’t resolved your smoke alarm beeping issue, you might be dealing with an interconnectivity problem.

You can consult a professional if you think it’s a wiring issue, or reset your devices and system to see if the beeping persists.

End of life

Smoke alarms can often last upwards of ten years. However, once that time is up, sensors become less effective, and the overall reliability of the device is greatly reduced. If your alarm continues to beep after it's cleaned, reset, and refreshed with a new set of batteries, consider how long you’ve had the device. If it’s a newer model, you might want to check if you have warranty coverage.

Conclusion

Smoke detector beeping can become bothersome quickly, so make sure you address it before it becomes that annoying sound everyone has just gotten used to. Worst case scenario, the battery ends up dying before you can change it, and then it won't be able to keep you safe.

Whether you’re in need of a new smoke alarm or other home security device, make sure you subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited for the best deal on product protection for all your online purchases, so you can protect your smoke alarm and keep your family safe for years to come.