Smoke Alarms in the Night

Here at Genesis Electric I have often heard the complaint “my smoke detectors are going off for no reason.” Talk about frustrating! Particularly the fact that this almost always occurs in the middle of a deep REM sleep….

What should I do? Is it Carbon Monoxide I can’t see?

If you are at all unsure, especially if this has not happened before, we recommend calling the fire department. This call is free, and they can do a CO test in your home to ensure there are no dangerous gasses present that aren’t otherwise detectable.

  1. Check your furnace rooms for the smell of gas.
  2. Check all of your smoke detectors. The unit that experienced the alarm should have a red LED blinking. If experiencing a faulty alarm remove the detectors one at a time until the alarm stops.
  3. Had construction done lately? Dust can clog optical sensors. The simplest solution is to use compressed air to clean the detector.
  4. If problem persists remove the offending detector and replace.

My brand new smoke detectors are having false alarms. Should I replace them all?

Unfortunately through trial and error I have experienced manufacturer issues with all 4 of the major brands. My best guess is 1 in 25 new out of box devices will experience false alarms.

  • Call your contractor to schedule a troubleshooting service call. Potentially it will be replaced for free if it is a device issue within 2 years.
  • Contact the manufacturer to replace it. This will involve shipping the unit for testing, I have heard no good stories about going through this process. Hope your story is different!