If you hear a faint "chirping" or "beeping" noise approximately every 30 seconds, your smoke detector is probably trying to tell you something: It's hungry! Some smoke detectors are built to sound a warning alarm when the battery power begins to run low. By chirping, the smoke detector is trying to get your attention and convince you to put a new battery inside it.

Anytime your detector goes off, it is important to pay attention. If the detector is sounding a loud alarm because it senses the presence of smoke, check your home thoroughly. If you smell smoke or are unable to locate a fire, call 911. If you don't smell smoke, the detector may be reacting to the presence of dust, steam, or a small insect. Dust and bugs can be removed by a vacuum cleaner. If the detector is just chirping, it probaly means that the battery is low. See similar questions...

Washington Alarm smoke detectors do not chirp; they communicate directly with our Central Station. If yours is chirping, the most common cause is that you have a simple battery-powered (usually 9-volt) smoke detector in need of a fresh battery. See similar questions...

Smoke detectors should be placed outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. On floors without bedrooms, detectors should be installed in or near living areas such as dens, living rooms, or family rooms. Remember to test the detectors regularly! See similar questions...

Place smoke detectors in the corridors leading into bedrooms. Mount the detector in the middle of the ceiling or twelve inches down from the ceiling if mounted on a wall. If you live in a two-story home, place the detector at the top of the stairwell. Never place the detector close to a kitchen or bathroom. If possible, place a smoke detector on every level of the home. See similar questions...

Very, very little. If you have a photo-electric smoke detector, there is no radioactive substance in it. If you have the much more common "ionization" type, there is a radio-nuclide in it --- usually 1 micro-curie of americium-241. A micro-curie is one-millionth of one curie (Question 16). Americium-241 emits alpha particles (Question 17), which are kept inside the case. It also emits some gamma radiation which can penetrate the case. See similar questions...

The batteries must be replaced every six months, so we recommend that you change your smoke detector batteries every time you change your clocks. In addition to changing your smoke detector batteries, your smoke detectors must be tested. Although smoke detectors differ by model (please review your installation and owners manual), most can be tested by pressing and holding the test button on the unit. The smoke detector will usually beep several times. See similar questions...

Your smoke detector's manual should give you detailed instructions on how to test your smoke detector. Usually, this is done by pressing a button in the center of the smoke detector. If you press this button down for a few seconds and it beeps, than the battery should still be working. If the smoke detector does not beep, than replace the battery and test again. See similar questions...

You should test your smoke detector monthly. Most detectors have a button you can push to test them. Change the batteries in your smoke detector at least once a year. A handy way to remember to change your batteries is to do it when you change your clocks for daylight savings time. Smoke detectors should be replaced at least every ten years. Never disable your smoke detector by removing the batteries. Remember, a smoke detector that isn’t working cannot save you. See similar questions...

Once a year or sooner if the low battery alarm comes on. Pick a date to change the battery that will help your remember, like the date you change your clocks ahead in the spring. See similar questions...

If you elect to purchase smoke detectors that are to be connected to your home's electrical system, you should have a qualified electrician install them. If you purchase those that are solely battery powered, you can install them yourself with a screwdriver and a drill, but install them according to the manufacturer's instructions. See similar questions...

The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you "change your battery when you change your clock" (twice yearly). Be sure that when you insert a new battery that the battery contacts snap tightly into the detector battery contacts. We have found many inoperable detectors with the batteries not properly installed. Also, if your smoke detector is more than 10 years old, it should be replaced as the sensors become too contaminated from household cooking and dust. See similar questions...

Smoke detectors should be tested once a month. The simplest test is to press the test button on your detector and check that it beeps loudly. It is also important to test the batteries and replace them every 6 months. See similar questions...

Any time your smoke detector goes off, it's important to pay attention. If it's sounding its loud alarm because it senses the presence of smoke, check your home thoroughly. If you smell smoke and are unable to locate a fire, call 9-1-1 and we'll send an engine to make sure that a fire isn't smoldering in a hidden area and it won't cost anything. If you don't smell smoke, the detector may be reacting to the presence of dust, steam, or a small insect or spider. See similar questions...

Smoke detectors beep when batteries become low. You will also get an indication at your keypad as well. See similar questions...