Check that the battery is snapped in completely so it cannot be shaken loose. It is possible that battery connections may not be making good contact with the battery. Disconnecting and re-connecting the battery once or twice will likely fix this.
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.
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.
Battery issues: "One chirp per minute could indicate that your alarm has a low-battery or other battery-related issues," Dawson says. "Other causes of irregular beeping include batteries facing the wrong way, battery pull-tabs still in place, or the battery drawer [is] partially open."
If your First Alert smoke alarm beeps 3 times after a new battery is installed, try replacing the battery first. If the issue persists, check to make sure that the battery drawer is sliding in and out easily and completely.
3 Chirps approx. every 20 seconds Off Off Condition: Sensor Trouble/Sensor End-of-Life Alarm. Recommendation: Reset the alarm. If this does not clear the problem, replace alarm.
Smoke alarms alert you with three beeps in a row. Carbon monoxide alarms alert you with four beeps. A single chirp means the battery is low or the detector should be replaced.
It is normal for smoke alarms to go off and sound briefly (up to 5-10 seconds) when you install a new battery or when they are powered up. If the alarm continues to go off and no smoke is present, the cause may be one of the following: There may be insufficient battery power, try new batteries.
Types of Smoke Detectors. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are essential safety equipment for your home. Smoke alarms sound an alarm when they sense the presence of smoke particles in the air, while carbon monoxide detectors sound an alarm when toxic levels of the invisible and odorless gas are detected.
If the smoke is not too dense, the alarm will silence immediately. If the smoke or debris is interfering with the sensor, the alarm will override the Hush. The smoke alarm will automatically reset after approximately 8 minutes unless particles of combustion are still present.
To warn of dangerous CO levels, most detectors will beep 4 or 5 times in a row about every 4 seconds. Do not mistake dangerous levels of poisonous gas for a detector with low battery!
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.
In domestic properties, your CO alarm can be triggered by any fuel burning appliance such as gas cookers, boilers and ovens. All of these appliances give off small traces of CO, but the levels can rise slightly when adequate ventilation isn't provided, or the venting is blocked or clogged by dust.
A hardwired smoke alarm could go off because of a dead backup battery, power surges, improper installation, dust in the air, or humidity.
Your alarm manufacturer may have included a blinking red light to let you know it's time to test the alarm again. The Batteries are Low: Usually accompanied by a loud beep, a blinking red light could mean the batteries in the unit are low. Consider adding fresh batteries and running a test to make sure it's working.
Phantom fire alarms? You might have a spider problem. Is your smoke alarm going off even though there's no smoke or fire to trigger it? If you open the smoke detector (or have someone else do it), you might find the culprit: spiders!
If the carbon monoxide concentration in the air is much higher, signs of poisoning may occur within 1-2 hours. A very high carbon monoxide concentration can even kill an exposed individual within 5 minutes.
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.
A carbon monoxide detector is a must for any home and just as important as a smoke detector. CO detectors should be placed near all bedrooms; they're the only way you will know if carbon monoxide is affecting the air quality in your home, and can help prevent serious illness and even death.
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.
For most residential smoke detectors, blinks are common; you need to be conversant with the colors showing. Different smoke alarms use the green and red LED to indicate the device's power status such that a flashing green means low battery while a constant blink means AC power is connected.
What Does an Emergency Alarm Chirp Mean? This meaning is probably the most self-explanatory. When your carbon monoxide detector chirps 4 times in a row and pauses, this means it has detected unsafe levels of carbon monoxide. This means your entire household should evacuate immediately and seek fresh air.
Whether the smoke detector is battery-operated or wired, they have a battery backup if there is a power loss. Inserting the battery incorrectly in the smoke detector will cause it to beep a few times frequently. By removing the battery and inserting it correctly, you can stop the carbon monoxide detector from beeping.