If your smoke detector is blinking red, it means that the batteries are low. While this can happen with all smoke detectors, it's more often the case with First Alert smoke detectors, since they are known for their exceptionally long battery life.
New tech in the house can sometimes take a little bit of time to get familiar with. Luckily, if your First Alert carbon monoxide alarm is holding a steady red light, this means that it is operating normally.
First Alert and BRK alarms have a power indicator light to show you that your alarm is receiving power. Some alarms have a red or green light that blinks every few minutes, while other models blink rapidly or shine a solid light. The light isn't a cause for concern unless the alarm is also beeping or chirping.
The system may need to be reset if you have changed the batteries or switched off the power. There is a red reset button in most alarms. If that doesn't work, hold it down for 15 to 20 seconds.
Smoke Detector Flashing Red
Blinking could mean that the detector needs batteries, but more often than not it means that something more serious is going on. The sensor may be dirty or needs to be replaced, or there might be a wiring issue.
The green LED (when illuminated) indicates the presence of AC power. The red LED has four modes of operation: Standby Condition: The red LED will flash every 30-40 seconds to indicate that the smoke alarm is operating properly.
Low Battery
As the battery in a smoke alarm gets weak, the smoke alarm will “chirp” about once a minute to let you know that the battery needs to be replaced. Note: Only the device with a low battery will chirp. The other interconnected alarms should be silent.
If your detector or alarm has a blinking or steady light with no audible alarm sound, this typically indicates that the unit is receiving power.
This battery characteristic can cause a smoke alarm to enter the low battery chirp mode when air temperatures drop. Most homes are the coolest between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. That's why the alarm may sound a low-battery chirp in the middle of the night, and then stop when the home warms up a few degrees.
1 beep every minute: This means that the alarm has low batteries and you should replace them. 3 beeps every minute: This means the alarm has encountered a malfunction and needs replacement. 5 beeps every minute: This means your alarm has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced with a new alarm.
It is important to test this unit every week to make sure it is working properly. Using the test button is the recommended way to test this Smoke/CO Alarm. You can test this Smoke/CO Alarm: Press and hold the Test/Silence button 3-5 seconds until unit starts to alarm.
Clear Residual Charge to Stop the Chirp
Remove the alarm from your ceiling or wall. Open the cover and take out the battery. Press and hold the test button for 15-30 seconds. This will fully reset the smoke alarm and drain any charge left inside.
Power interruptions are common in areas where utility companies switch grids in the early hours of the morning. In AC or AC/DC smoke alarms, a loose hot wire connection can intermittently disconnect power to the smoke alarm. The effect is the same as a power failure. When power is restored, the units may alarm briefly.
A flashing green light means that the smoke detector is getting the right amount of power supply. Basically, the green light indicates that the smoke detector is active. Red Light: The red light can indicate more than just an emergency threat. Your smoke detector blinking red could mean more than one thing.
The smoke alarm is desensitized by pushing the Test/Hush button on the smoke alarm cover. If the smoke is not too dense, the alarm will silence immediately and the red LED blinks every 10 seconds. This indicates that the alarm is in a temporarily desensitized condition.
It's time to change the battery
Low batteries are the most common reason smoke detectors beep or send a trouble signal to your security panel, when there is no smoke or fire. As the battery weakens, the device will beep regularly to let you know it's time to replace it.
Yellow – Typically, the yellow light indicates that the battery of the smoke detector is low thus needing replacement.
Dust, Dirt and Environmental Smoke
Dust and dirt that comes from activities like remodeling may set off your smoke alarms. To clean your smoke alarm, open it up carefully, and look inside for dust or dirt. Use a vacuum attachment or electronic aerosol cleaner to remove dust particles.
If your hardwired machines continue to beep in the absence of a battery, it's most likely because the backup battery has become active. Keep in mind that a backup battery unit is only available with a hardwired device, so if your smoke alarm is battery-only, the chirping is coming from somewhere else.
If you have changed the batteries and tried the circuit breaker, but the beeping persists, you may need to try resetting the detector(s): Use the reset button: most smoke detectors have a red reset button. Hold the reset button down for approximately 15-20 seconds.
Press and hold the test/silence button for 20 seconds. You'll find this on the front of your detector. Reconnect all power sources (reconnect the wiring or plug back into the outlet). Your alarm should now be reset.