Troubleshooting to Stop a Fire Alarm From Beeping Unnecessarily

Through the years, fire alarms have helped many people escape the dangers caused by fires. As a safety precaution, most houses and commercial buildings have installed fire alarms to serve as a way to detect fires as soon as they start. On average, a fire alarm should last between eight to ten years in service, coupled with routine maintenance.

However, there can be instances where a fire alarm can suddenly go off even if there isn’t a fire around. Therefore, it’s ideal to know the possible causes of the alarm to sound off even without any source of smoke around the area it covers. Here are some reasons why a fire alarm continues to beep and how to solve the problem.

Government-Mandated Fire Alarms

Today’s modern furnishings let fires spread faster than ever. Regardless of the building type, residential and commercial establishments should have several fire alarms installed to ensure safety for people living or working in the area. 

For newer establishments, the required number of fire alarms depends on the property’s size. Meanwhile, houses or buildings built earlier that do not align with the current building code must first comply with the standards before applying what’s necessary for fire protection.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 54 percent of fires in the US were reported to local departments with the help of fire alarms between 2014 to 2018. Meanwhile, around 41 percent of houses without fire alarms burned down due to the lack of safety devices in the household. The numbers alone represent the importance of fire alarms in buildings, making the mandate an effective way to avoid fire accidents in the future.

Ways to Prevent a Fire Alarm from Beeping Unnecessarily 

1. Identify What Causes the Beeping

Fire alarms can detect the presence of smoke in an area. The photoelectric alarms installed in the device can discover the smoke as it passes through the sensor or light beam. Despite the smoke dissipating in the air, the fire alarm can alert people in a home or commercial building.

However, besides smoke, other factors can also influence the device to beep or sound an alarm. For example, a drained battery can play the alarm sounds to signify to the people around that something is wrong with it. The best way to solve the issue connected to the battery is to reset the device and change the battery after.

2. Clean Out the Fire Alarm

Fire alarms are susceptible to dust, dirt, and debris falling from the ceiling where they are installed. As a way to inform people that the component is dirty, manufacturers have set alarms to signify that the device is dusty and may need cleaning.

First, disconnect the alarm from the ceiling and remove its batteries. Using a vacuum cleaner, you should dust off the excess dirt on the mechanism. If needed, continue cleaning the device using wet wipes or a damp towel to ensure no dust remains in the system.

3. Buy a New Device

The US Fire Administration suggests changing fire alarms after eight to ten years of use. However, if you can find the manufacturing date within the unit, follow the instructions provided. But if it doesn’t indicate until when you can use the device, it’s better to change it after a decade.