Avoid False Alarms With Your Smoke Alarm

Smoke detectors and alarms can be a very useful tool to have in your home and may save your life. But many people experience false alarms with smoke detectors that ultimately make them less effective. By keeping your smoke detector clean and charged, and avoiding putting the unit in places that are not optimal, you can prevent false alarms and may help save yourself or your family when an actual fire occurs.

Steps

Preventing False Alarms

1. Clean your smoke detector regularly. Any dust or dirt that covers your smoke detector or its internal sensor chamber can set it off when there is no fire. By cleaning the unit every couple of weeks, you may minimize the number of false alarms you experience or avoid them altogether.
   • Make sure to dust or clean not only the outside cover of your unit, but also inside the cover, where dust often accumulates.
   • You can use a dusting brush or vacuum the alarm with the soft brush attachment.
   • If you are in a new home or having construction done, make sure that the electricians use a dust cover to keep the alarm from gathering debris.
2. Clear insects from the alarm. Insects may get caught in your alarm because they are attracted to the sound or even light that the unit may emit. If the alarm is going off with no smoke or visible fire, check for and for insects on the cover or sensor chamber.
3. Connect alarms as separate units. If you have an interconnected system of fire alarms, a unit in another part of your home may be triggering connected fire alarms. Keep alarms on separate electrical currents to help prevent them from triggering one another.
   • If your units are connected and there is no way to separate them from a power source, make sure to check for smoke so that you are sure there is no fire.
   • Power interruptions may also trigger the alarm, especially if you live in an area where utility companies switch the grids.
4. Tighten electrical connections. If your smoke alarm is on an AC or AC/DC electrical system, make sure to tighten any loose connections. This can help the unit avoid chirping or going off fully.
   • Loose hot wire connections may occasionally disconnect power, which has the same effect as a power outage.
   • If you are unsure of the wiring, contact an electrician to help you.
5. Install fire alarms away from furnaces and ovens. Furnaces and ovens not only produce combustion particles that may trigger the alarm, but they also may smoke because of oil and residue. Installing your fire alarms at least 10 feet from a furnace or oven may minimize the number of false alarms you experience.
   • Furnaces can blow debris in ductwork into your smoke alarm and make it go off.
   • You may notice more false alarms in the fall when you first begin using the furnace after the summer.
6. Minimize exposure to cold air returns. Areas that experience cold air returns, which suck cold air back into a furnace, are more susceptible to false alarms. Keeping your alarm away from cold air returns may prevent dusty air from blowing through the alarm and keep it from going into alarm mode.
   • Place the alarm at least 10 feet from a cold air return.
7. Position alarm in dry areas. Places in your home that may have high humidity, such as the bathroom or kitchen, are more susceptible to false alarms. Installing the smoke alarm at least 10 feet from high humidity areas.
   • Install the alarm at least 10 feet from showers, laundry rooms, and kitchen sinks or dishwashers.
8. Be aware of areas with exhaust gases or open flames. Places in your home, such as the garage, workroom, or living room may emit exhaust gasses or flames that can trigger an alarm. Avoiding placing your smoke alarm in areas exposed to exhaust gases or open flames may help minimize or prevent false alarms. Note that in some areas heat detectors are required in garages. Contact your local fire department for more information.
   • Do not locate smoke detectors near a fireplace or other open flame heating systems such as oil & gas furnaces.
9. Replace the batteries. One of the most common causes of false smoke alarms is a weak battery. A chirping noise means that the battery is weak, and needs to be replaced. Replace batteries regularly, such as twice a year, to help prevent false alarms and the annoyance of consistent chirping.
10. Test smoke detectors properly several times a year. Electronic devices can fail at any time, so maintaining and testing them can help ensure proper function. Regular testing can help prevent a fire or damage to your home or family.
    • Press the test button on the smoke detector. It may take a few seconds, but you should hear a loud and ear-piercing siren while the button is depressed. If there is no sound or weak sound, replace your batteries.
    • Ask a family member to go into the farthest room from the alarm to make sure that anyone in the house can hear it.
    • Light a match and blow it out directly under the alarm. After that, place the match in a glass of watch and make sure it’s extinguished. If the alarm doesn’t go off, you may need new batteries, new wiring, or a new unit.

Finding Alarm Alternatives

1. Consider dual fire detectors. Because smoke alarms can be so finicky and are not optimal in every are of your home, it’s a good idea to consider alternative methods to detecting smoke or fire. This can help ensure that your home is fully protected from fire or smoke and may minimize the number of unpleasant false alarms.
   • Most fire alarms in the United States fall into two categories: photoelectric and ionization models. Ionization models are better at detecting flaming fires, while photoelectric models react more quickly to smoldering fires.
   • Although most homes have ionization models, most experts consider the photoelectric detector to be more effective.
   • You can get dual models that may minimize false alarms.
2. Invest in wireless alarms. Technological developments have produced smoke alarms that are wireless and can alert every one in the house if there is smoke present. Purchase wireless alarms to prevent nuisance alarms and help avoid problems with power sources.
   • Wireless alarms are especially useful for multi-level homes.
3. Use a heat detector. Some new thermostats are “smart” and include heat detectors that can sense significant changes in temperature that may indicate a fire. Position this type of detector in areas that experience shifts in temperature or humidity.
   • The heat detector is useful in rooms such as the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.
   • Some heat detectors will allow you to turn off the alarm with a wave of your hand.
4. Employ a carbon monoxide alarm. Carbon monoxide is a dangerous and colorless gas that can kill you. Although it doesn’t cause fires, carbon monoxide, or CO, is often near places where there are fires. Consider employing a carbon monoxide detector in your home to help prevent death or potentially detect conditions rife for fire.
   • Consider purchasing a combination CO/ smoke detector.
5. Monitor indoor air quality. There are many things, such as dust or weather, that can affect the air quality in your home and either set off false smoke alarms or cause fires. Watching the air quality in your home may help prevent false alarms and buildup of chemicals or gases that can cause fires.
   • Most indoor air quality monitors test for temperature, relatively humidity, and carbon dioxide, or CO2.
6. Contact your local fire department to ensure your home is up to code. They can provide information on where devices should be located, what type of devices to use in each location, and even come to your house to perform an inspection.

Tips

• Solve all smoke detector problems promptly. A smoke detector that remains disabled could cost someone her life.

Related Articles

• Make Your Smoke Alarm Last Longer
• React if Your Smoke Alarm Goes Off
• Install a Smoke Detector or Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Test a Smoke Detector

Sources and Citations

See also

• Drive Through Smoke
• Become a Fire Department Explorer
• Prevent a House Fire
• Fight a Forest Fire
• Put out a Fire
• Put out a Grease Fire
• Escape from a Fire
• Keep Safe During a House Fire
• Change the Batteries in Your Smoke Detector
• Use a Fire Extinguisher

Read more ...

What links here

• Test a Smoke Detector