We are in a rental at the beach and I was about to lose my mind. I can’t thank you enough for this very detailed video! I was one chirp away from ripping it off the ceiling and throwing it into the Gulf!
Thank you, you are such a blessing. I was able to take my smoke detector off the wall and use my hair blow dryer on the cool setting to blow out any dirt that's all I had and change the battery. I do not have a date to change the detector out so I have to tell the owner of my building about this.
Thanks. Well explained. I live in a Senior building and I should wait till Monday when maintenance is here. I was tottering on a 2 step ladder but I am not tall enough to unscrew it. The broom handle didn't stop it so it is probably the battery, maybe the date. Good to know at least.
I had 2 chirping every 3 minutes or so this last summer. New batteries didn't solve. Turns out it was the Kalifornastanian forest fires flooding the air here in western Colorado with smoke. Unfortunately my solution of Terminal Shutdown via hammer resulted in needing to purchase a new one... So the expiration date thing is no longer an issue! The new one has an expected shelf life longer than my own currently!
I was really hoping this was going to help solve my problem. I've been fighting with my smoke detector for several hours. I even went as far as to disconnect the wires that were hanging from my ceiling that were wire nutted together to stop the chirping. Because after totally removing the entire smoke detector from the ceiling I was still getting chirping coming from nothing but the hole in the ceiling with the wires hanging out. So then I went back and reconnected the white wire with the white wire, the orange to the orange and the black to the black. So the wire harness was all put back together, and I followed your directions step by step. I now have chirping at the 6-second mark, and the 40 second mark. This is driving me absolutely crazy something as simple as a smoke detector should not be this complicated. I have to say your video is fantastic, and very easy to follow. Thank you for doing such an amazing job with that. Unfortunately for me it did not help. I guess it's time for a new smoke detector. Have an amazing day!
I ended up ringing the fire brigade (not on the emergency number!) for advice after Id5tried to kill mine - changed battery, still chirping, took a hammer to it, still chirping - it was beyond repair but it still kept chirping. They said to drown it - that stopped it. They also told me what I should have done, lol! I forgot what it was when the next one started, but I knew there was a solution, so I came to YT to find it. Thank you!
If the battery is low, the alarm will chirp on a regular schedule, not just once. That was evidently your problem. I have some that chirp, seemingly at random intervals, with days the interval. My detecters are 6 mo. old and I have replaced all 8 batteries, 6 smoke, 2 CO, a week ago. They didn't chirp for a week, then random started. You didn't mention whether you had more than one (hard-wired w/ batt backup) smoke alarm connected. If there is a real alarm, all detectors will alarm if one alarms. Your fix is for a low battery or out-of-date alarm and nothing else. I did learn here about the "push button to drain caps", however. Thank you for that.
but house dust ? I am having construction inside and I think when i vacuumed up the remaining sawdust today it might have triggered the smoke alarm chirp...Someone mentioned Energizer batteries work better so I sprung for the lithiums a while back. Had a lot of intermittent chirp trouble until I switched to lithium. Duracell lithium not so good as the size of the battery is slightly different (comment above). Energizer lithiums seem to be pretty good. I keep an unopened Energizer lithium in the closet now because I frigging hate the chirping. It really is awful to listen to.
The chirping continues from the WIRES that are coming out of the wall to which my smoke detector had been connected. So, I've removed the detector, removed its battery, pressed the button that stops the detector itself from chirping, BUT the chirping continues and it's coming from the wires to which the detector had been connected. Now what?
Ok no!! as a expert please don't follow these instructions ( some detectors have radioactive materials) Just change the battery or vacuum or blow. That device saves lives respect it please call the MFG or Installer or Fire Officials ( Uploader I understand the need to post content!! in depth research any life safety device even licensed personal can be charged for improper information) in all 50 states
It's funny how it only Chirps when my parents are home and since I get no personal time when they're home (since they gaslight me for "being in my room all the time), it has them coming to my room to pull me out because they get the enjoyment of feeling good about themselves having everything handed to them while they complain about everything I do because they get a thrill out of putting me in a shitty situation while the rest of society shames me for not conforming to the bullshit standards we have because people are too dumb or too scared to accept that they aren't the center of attention... I hate society and I hate how greedy humanity is because everyone wants a piece of paper with value on it and would do everything to keep people from making any progress because apparently being shitty is the new norm 😂
👎👎👎 This is all information I can find online without suffering through this long video that could have been explained in 4 minutes. What else can be done if we've already done all of these steps???
I put in a new smoke detector and it is still chirping, Its hard wired, I can't even rip it off the wall, still chirps. I am going crazy. The system is less than 2 years old. Im slowly going insane
dude ! Thank you so much ! you are the only video I remember anyone saying to hold the button down for 10 to 20 sec. As you know it is very hard to think with a blaring noise especially if you are not a handy man. After about 15 hours of dealing with that racket and a neurotic dog ! Thanks to you I can finally get some sleep.
Also, a helpful tip. Use energizers not duracell batteries. Duracell battries are actually a little bit shorter then most batteries, so the connections don't quite reach, thus resulting in bad contacts.
Had this same problem in my old flat. The neighbours left their flat empty for months and the smoke detector was cheeping. Every 30 seconds for 12 weeks. That sound never leaves you.
I've NEVER heard of that. 🤔 I did know that there are multiple sizes of 3 volts. My fob takes a 2016, I accidentally bought a 2032. The diameter is the same but much thicker in depth. It works but my alarm is constantly getting triggered when I move my keys. LOL
Thanks for the information. It's great when you're a crippled old woman woken up in the middle of the night with no one to call about it. Why the hell can't they put these things where they're reachable?
11/24/2023: Honestly… this video isn’t accurate to what the average fire alarm might do. Followed this, called an electrician (Didn’t want to touch the powerbox) & he did everything without unhooking the wires for us…. Do it yourself like this guy but no need to turn off the powerbox/unhooking the power 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
why do they always go off at 2 am!?!?!? They never go off during the day. Always in the middle of the night. ALSO - I have often unplugged and taken the battery out of a chirping detector ONLY to have a second one to suddenly start chirping. I take that one down and a THIRD one starts chirping. WTF??????
Thank you for your explicit instructions. My smoke alarm went off because of high humidity (experiencing heat wave/storms and lots of rain in Queensland Australia ) and I pressed the button with my mop handle 😂but it still chirped. I watched your video and pressed and held the button in and Voila - it has stopped. I knew it wasn’t the battery as I had an electrician check and replace them about 4 months ago. So thanks for excellent advice.
Thanks for the tip. I pushed the button like you said to release residual energy and it worked ! That's after pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to stop it from chirping!
I never comment on videos but this literally happened to me at 2AM and it was so so frustrating trying to sit through all of the chatter on this video while I wait for my insane next door neighbors to freak out at me
Your video says stop chirping for good! NOT. The only way to stop it for GOOD is to disconnect all of them. I would rather die in a fire like they did in the olden days when cowpokes lived in log cabins than deal with these annoying modern contraptions. CONSARIT!
I live alone, There's no daylight saving where I live and I can't climb. I'm utterly knackered when that thing goes off, it's the one and only thing I can't reach in my home and I don't have anyone to call.
I figured it out on my own because this guy wouldnt stop talking about everything else but the title of the video. Took me a few hrs but i came back to the video to turn it off and found out hes still talking.
You are so freaking cute I had to come back to watch this again, my new guilty pleasure apparently. LOL Mine started chirping Non-Stop about 4am, I put a new battery in it & left the house, got home about 20 minutes & it was still chirping so I put a brand new battery out of a fresh package into it walked upstairs to relax & it started chirping AGAIN! I have put new batteries in yearly & NEVER had to deal with it (unless there's smoke in the house from cooking). I wasn't aware that you can unclip the hardwired ones to put the battery in & out easier, that would have been nice to know all my life. 🤣 I'm putting in earplugs & going to bed now but tomorrow I will be unplugging it taking it down to vacuuming it out, I hope that stops it. 🤞 I can see the date on it & it is still good until 2028 so I hope it's just dusty like you said. 🤷🏻♀️ Thanks for the tips. 😏
Haha. Well ...12 days..17 calls to landlady.. and 2 to fire dept... No one could make it stop.i ripped the wires.. ran over it 4x them beat it with a hammer.. IT STILL BEEPED... so now it lays on the bottom of the Mississippi River. And I'd MUCH RATHER take my chance with fire.
Okay - none of the suggestions have helped me thus far with my chirping smoke and carbon monoxide detector; due for change out in 2027 (four years from now); new battery - tested well for power; switched the actual alarm unit with another in the house whose battery we just replaced and the initial problem location continues to chirp - so it does not appear to be the alarm unit itself as the problem; cut the power to the alarms in the house, disconnected the alarm unit in question and the initial-problem location continues to chirp (not the alarm unit). Blew out all dust, etc.; held the "test" button for more than three minutes; etc. My conclusion is that it is not the alarm but rather the hard wiring to the unit's location in the ceiling and am now fearful that there is a wiring issue inside the ceiling of the home. So, unit has been changed out, batteries are new and tested; alarm unit has been reset; AND still the installation location in the ceiling (NOT the alarm itself) continues to chirp - with or without power. I am at a loss other than to call an electrician. Thoughts?
Pro tip: If your First Alert carbon monoxide detector is giving 5 chirps every minute or so, that's the "end of life" signal. Need replacing. Another pro tip: No, it's not the smoke detector, it's the CM detector in the next room. Just unplug it and take out the battery XD (Spent 15 minutes troubleshooting the wrong device, lol)
I've read before: During a power loss, the smoke detector can't do it's job properly with a battery that's more than six months old. So why doesn't the thing chirp after six months? Why does it wait so long? People will change batteries every 5 years or more.
It happens and then when this happens, you're forced to go online and get some solutions. But before all that you're all wanked out, disturbed sleep, wife's up now because you had to grab the damn step ladder, enough racket to wake the dead to get to the bastard chirping mockingly at me. You figure out what you have to do, wife can't help because her brain doesn't work like that, swearing under my breath, figure out the circuit, unscrew the ceiling detector, hold the test button for 10 and put everything back and turn the circuit back on. Go back to bed and stare at the ceiling because it's time to get up in 30. WTF just happened?
Sorry to be THAT guy, but doesn't anyone read instructions anymore? ALL of this basic info is usually on the back of the box of MOST standard smoke alarms. ...and, to answer your question, YES... I have nothing better to do. 😑 🤣
I welcome your comment! And you’re right about it being on the back of the box but most people don’t read that stuff and would rather have me tell them on RU-vid, which is great for me! 🤣😎
@soundproofguide thanks! I would definitely rather be told like this, @Christophermiller741alot of people have issues with technical writing, but the biggest issue is I definitely threw that box away after the initial read 2 years ago 😅
Thanks very much for this. I didn't want to have to leave a new battery in an outdated one, just to be able to dispose of it without it driving me crazy.
One of my two alarms started beeping once a minute and now I notice that they should have been replaced almost two years ago....thanks for telling me they don't last forever even though they are hard wired.
Well I must have the smoke dectors that is being hit by a ray of light, I have replaced unit, installed new battery and still chirps everyday around 5pm. I'm losing my mind thinking about next steps!
Other videos say you must turn off yr electricity at the fuse box before pulling away the little prong thing connecting it to the power. Do I have to that? I bought dust covers for mine, have two of them on the darned thing and it still chirps so before going to bed I hit the button once again to reset it so I can get a full good nite's sleep. Thx so much!
This is great stuff. Thank you so much. BUT... some of our smoke alarms are up some 18 feet from the floor (even the "short" ones are up at 12 feet). What a mess trying to fix these.
I took my hardwired Kidde smoke detector off, the in the ceiling keeps chirping, not sure which breaker belongs to the front room. Scared to try all breakers which may set off other power problems. This detector doesnt seem to have wires going through it cause I easily jyst pulled it off. 😢
That tung lick i will regret for the rest of my life, should of gave me a more serious warning my guy I felt that zap take me to my past future and back 😱😳never again.
Honestly. Took you 8:41 to just say what another video said in under 50 seconds. Why do "how to" video posters think it's better to take more time to say less stuff?
Yes! I don’t get it too. Why at about 2.00 am !! Thank you and managed to silence , well rather destroy old smoke alarm which should have been replaced in ..2013. From now on will change it regularly.
We have been told that another cause of 2 am chirping is events on the power grid. It stops in a few ( agravating!!!!) minutes, with me pressing the button for half a minute, two or three times. We have had several such episodes, and none of the issues you identified were found.
After you remove the smoke detector (and won't be replacing it for now) is it safe to tuck the plug/connector and wires back up into the ceiling so we can put the nonworking detector back on without connecting it?
My smoke alarm chirped once after I vacuumed the house. Green light on, red light flashes every 30 seconds (both detectors are doing the same). There was a lot of sawdust in the house so I am hoping that's it, as it's got a lithium battery in it. I hate the bloody things, when I cook bacon the wretched thing goes and shrieks so loud you can hear it a block away. Absolutely hate the bloody smoke detectors. But the cat hates it even more than I do. Yes, guaranteed the thing will start to chirp tonight. And the ceiling is high.
and guaranteed to chirp after midnight when all hope of going out and buying a lithium battery are zip. Good to know what to do in that situation - Thank you!
I have put in 2 new smoke detectors in the past month to replace an old chirping detector. My problem continues. Every night the new ones chirp usually around 2AM and 7AM. If I turn the power off and turn it back on it stops chirping. I have installed a First Alert and a Kidde smoke detector. Both chirp the same way. I called an electrician and an electrical engineer installed my last one and he again checked all my electrical connections. I am at my wits end and have spent a lot of money trying to resolve this issue. Do I have to cap off the electrical wires and put in a battery operated detector?
Left you a whopper of a comment. Only to find out the 1 of the 3 smoke detectors I was trying to fix, was the wrong one ROFLOL! Kind of like, did you check that the TV was plugged in? LOL Soooo This apt echos pretty badly, and I swore it was in my bedroom, but it was in the adjoining room... who'd have thunk? When I had all I could take I went to put a sponge over the speaker holes and realize that wasn't the one chirping! LOL. I popped in my rechargeable battery and low and behold the angels of silence were upon me! It's 3:31 how come they always go off in the 1 or 2:00 AM time EVERY TIME? LOL thanks this was very good video. But it did raise a question... why is the main hallway one without a battery back up, it used to have one... and why isn't IT chirping since that's missing???????? Inquiring minds want to know! Especially when they're up to 3:30 AM and are 71 years young! LOL Again thank you for the tips! Bless you child. Update: I just measured the "dead one" and like clockwork when I googled it said if it drops to 6.5-7.7 range it will chirp. This one first read 6.6 and after holding it on it awhile it got as high as 7.7. Go figure.
Great job! What is the replacement detector you researched? Thanks for doing that too! I don’t see an expiration date on mine wondering if it’s super old?
So mine are hardwired. 3 of them. 2 needed to be replaced. They never had batteries . The new chirping didn’t have one, the silent one , did. So I put a battery in the chirping one and it STOPPED. Peace of mind from fire and chirping- just add 9v battery, big ring on the outside , and close it. Plug it in.
Nice catch on the first removal. (2:50-2:55 mark) LOL I have enough of a tantrum taking it off with two hands free on top of the ladder let alone doing it with ONLY one hand free & a phone in the other. 😂
