Off topic, but do you know what to do about smoke detectors that chirp like once a week? I’m in an apartment, have 4 smoke detectors in here for some reason, and 3 out of the 4 will randomly chirp like once a week. We’ve changed the batteries, they’re flashing green, if you hit the test button they work, but they just chirp once in awhile. Sometimes it’s only once, sometimes it’s 2 or 3 times in a day and then will go a month or more without chirping. Management is a PITA so I don’t want to complain if there isn’t an issue, but I’d rather not die a horrible death if my apartment burns down and my detectors don’t go off.
Yep. First thing to do is run a vacuum over them. Even the tiniest bit of dust can make them cranky and chirpy. If that doesn’t work and you don’t know how old they are, pop them off the ceiling and look at the back for a manufacture date. In general, smoke detectors (even without the ten year battery) have a life span of about 10 years. If they’ve hit that milestone, it’s a good chance they are beeping because they are old and they should be replaced. Next would be a call to the PITA management about them. If you get no love from management, look up what fire department covers your address; many departments will go out to check your detectors if you can’t get them to stop beeping and your landlord is being a butt. If your department is a volunteer one, it may be next to impossible to get ahold of them as there will probably not be anyone at the station to answer phones. For volunteer departments in my area, you need to call the county fire marshal / emergency management office in order to get hooked up with the volunteer department as they have the personal contact numbers for the volunteer chiefs, so I would try that (or the equivalent for your area). If it’s a career fire department, you should be able to call them directly. Even if they are out of the station, if it’s normal business hours and you call their HQ, they likely have a business office that will answer.
Also, I just wanted to come back here and update. I pulled my detectors down and they are from January of 2012. Put a note in with our maintenance department requesting replacement, so hopefully that gets dealt with. Thank you for taking the time to respond!
Good advice with the vacuum. It definitely gets dusty in here, so I’ll check that first.
About the fire department, funny thing that, it’s volunteer here, and I’m actually on the department, but I’m not a firefighter, I’m medical side and don’t know the slightest thing about fire except that it’s hot and I stay away from it. My role on fire calls is to drag hoses where I’m told lol. I keep forgetting to ask the real firefighters about my detectors when I see them, but if I can’t get it resolved by cleaning or talking to management I’ll have to talk to the chief or ask my LT.
Many smoke detectors only last for 10 years. What you’re describing is what mine did in my house when they hit the 10 year mark. If you remove it from the ceiling, they usually have a human readable date printed on the ceiling facing side of the smoke detector.
I’m betting if you pulled one of your “one chirp” smoke detectors down, you’ll find a date more than 10 years ago printed on it. Buy new ones, dispose of these. Note on disposal: old school smoke detectors contain a very small amount of radioactive material. If you have one of these there will be a radioactive logo on itPLEASE DO NOT PUT THIS IN THE LANDFILL TRASH! Please dispose of these and your registered hazardous waste site.
Newer style smoke detectors don’t use radioactive material and instead use regular light sensors. These are safe to dispose of as regular ewaste.
There is no reason you should have to purchase them, that is the landlord’s responsibility. If management is not doing upkeep on aged-out detectors, that’s a call to the local fire marshal. Fire Marshals just love when high-life occupancies don’t keep up with fire code requirements.
Off topic, but do you know what to do about smoke detectors that chirp like once a week? I’m in an apartment, have 4 smoke detectors in here for some reason, and 3 out of the 4 will randomly chirp like once a week. We’ve changed the batteries, they’re flashing green, if you hit the test button they work, but they just chirp once in awhile. Sometimes it’s only once, sometimes it’s 2 or 3 times in a day and then will go a month or more without chirping. Management is a PITA so I don’t want to complain if there isn’t an issue, but I’d rather not die a horrible death if my apartment burns down and my detectors don’t go off.
Yep. First thing to do is run a vacuum over them. Even the tiniest bit of dust can make them cranky and chirpy. If that doesn’t work and you don’t know how old they are, pop them off the ceiling and look at the back for a manufacture date. In general, smoke detectors (even without the ten year battery) have a life span of about 10 years. If they’ve hit that milestone, it’s a good chance they are beeping because they are old and they should be replaced. Next would be a call to the PITA management about them. If you get no love from management, look up what fire department covers your address; many departments will go out to check your detectors if you can’t get them to stop beeping and your landlord is being a butt. If your department is a volunteer one, it may be next to impossible to get ahold of them as there will probably not be anyone at the station to answer phones. For volunteer departments in my area, you need to call the county fire marshal / emergency management office in order to get hooked up with the volunteer department as they have the personal contact numbers for the volunteer chiefs, so I would try that (or the equivalent for your area). If it’s a career fire department, you should be able to call them directly. Even if they are out of the station, if it’s normal business hours and you call their HQ, they likely have a business office that will answer.
Also, I just wanted to come back here and update. I pulled my detectors down and they are from January of 2012. Put a note in with our maintenance department requesting replacement, so hopefully that gets dealt with. Thank you for taking the time to respond!
You are very welcome! Good luck with maintenence, I hope yours is more responsive about them than the ones here tend to be.
Good advice with the vacuum. It definitely gets dusty in here, so I’ll check that first.
About the fire department, funny thing that, it’s volunteer here, and I’m actually on the department, but I’m not a firefighter, I’m medical side and don’t know the slightest thing about fire except that it’s hot and I stay away from it. My role on fire calls is to drag hoses where I’m told lol. I keep forgetting to ask the real firefighters about my detectors when I see them, but if I can’t get it resolved by cleaning or talking to management I’ll have to talk to the chief or ask my LT.
Thank you!
Many smoke detectors only last for 10 years. What you’re describing is what mine did in my house when they hit the 10 year mark. If you remove it from the ceiling, they usually have a human readable date printed on the ceiling facing side of the smoke detector.
I’m betting if you pulled one of your “one chirp” smoke detectors down, you’ll find a date more than 10 years ago printed on it. Buy new ones, dispose of these. Note on disposal: old school smoke detectors contain a very small amount of radioactive material. If you have one of these there will be a radioactive logo on it PLEASE DO NOT PUT THIS IN THE LANDFILL TRASH! Please dispose of these and your registered hazardous waste site.
Newer style smoke detectors don’t use radioactive material and instead use regular light sensors. These are safe to dispose of as regular ewaste.
I’d replace them, keep the old ones, and put them back when I move out. This is also my go-to with apartment showerheads.
There is no reason you should have to purchase them, that is the landlord’s responsibility. If management is not doing upkeep on aged-out detectors, that’s a call to the local fire marshal. Fire Marshals just love when high-life occupancies don’t keep up with fire code requirements.
Also a very valid route. Just depends on your tolerance and time for dealing with bullshit I suppose.