Hard Wired Smoke Alarms Goes Off For No Reason? (Do This!)

Being woken up by a smoke alarm in the middle of the night is bad enough but it is even worse when it is a false alarm.

Plus, it can send you into a panic when everything is actually fine, so it’s no surprise you want to fix the issue. But what’s the cause when hard wired smoke alarms are going off for no reason? Well, actually, there are several reasons — just not smoke or fire.

Hard wired smoke detectors go off for no reason when there’s a low or dead battery, dirt in the smoke detector, or a power surge. Smoke detectors can go off when there is steam or high humidity in the house, as well as burnt food. To avoid the alarm, clean the smoke detector itself if it is dusty and check the battery.

Many people have no idea there is more than one kind of smoke detector. But actually, there are two types of smoke detectors, which include photoelectric and ionization.

Because they both specialize in different types of smoke detection, let’s first see which one you have in your home.

As mentioned previously, there are two types of smoke detectors, photoelectric and ionization. They are both useful for detecting fires, but they work differently.

Ionization detectors sense fires with a lot of flames first. Sometimes they do not detect a smoldering fire until there is a lot of smoke in your home. However, these are the most common because they have been around the longest and are less expensive.

The way they work is by using a tiny amount of americium 241 to sense the positive and negative ions in the detector, creating an electric circuit. When enough smoke enters your smoke detector, it breaks the path and sets off the alarm.

Photoelectric detectors are more sensitive than ionization detectors. They use a beam of light like a laser pointer that shoots across the inside of the detector. When smoke gets into the detector, it blocks the light beam and sets off the alarm.

Since both types of detectors work in different ways, it is best to have both types in your home. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends using both types of detectors.

It has probably happened to all of us. While cooking, you may leave something in the oven too long or cook in the pan longer than it should be. When this happens, smoke fills the air and when it gets near the smoke detector, it will let you (and everyone else in the house) know about it.

The best thing to do is to take the food out of the oven or the pan off the stove, open the windows, and press the reset button. Then, wave the smoke away from the smoke detector. If you have an overhead fan or oven fan, turn that on as well. The smoke detector should stop as soon as the smoke clears.

Whether your smoke detector is hard wired or not, it has a battery. And if that battery is getting low, your detector will let you know. The battery is important in a hard-wired detector as a backup in case the power goes out.

The obvious fix for this is to change the battery, right? Well, yes, but you also have to make sure it is put in correctly. Sometimes they can be put in loosely or may not be connected at all. After you put a new battery in, press the test button and listen for a beep.

Important tip: If you have a hard-wired smoke detector, make sure you turn off the power to your detector before changing the battery.

Sometimes just cleaning your home can cause the smoke detector to misbehave. If you are using ammonia or other strong chemicals to clean and have all the windows closed, your smoke detector may go off. This is to let you know there are high levels of chemicals in the house.

If the chemicals from your cleaning is setting off the detector, you are using too much and may be inhaling dangerous amounts of fumes. Open the windows, turn on the fans, and stop using so much of whatever chemical you are using.

Some smoke detectors have an interconnect wire (orange wire) used for connecting smoke detectors together. This is to make all the smoke detectors go off if one goes off.

It is a safety feature used in large homes and businesses, and it can make it seem like your hard wired smoke alarm is going off for no reason. If the interconnect wire is grounded, the detector will beep periodically until you fix it.

Fast Fact: Sometimes, burning incense will set off your smoke alarm too.

Has there been a power surge or interruption in your electricity when your hard-wired smoke alarms are going off for no reason? For example, if the power goes out during a storm, your smoke detectors may go off to let you know they are disconnected. A loose wire can also cause this problem.

To fix this, go to the breaker box and turn off the breaker to the smoke detectors. If you do not see one labeled for the detectors, turn it off at the main breaker. Wait a few minutes and switch it back to the on position. This should fix the problem.

Some people think that because their smoke detectors are hard-wired to their homes that they do not have to change the battery as often. This is not true. The NFPA suggests you change your smoke detector batteries every six months. Most people do it when they set their clocks back in the fall and forward in the spring.

In addition, some smoke detectors claim that you do not have to change the batteries for 10 years due to their 10-year life alarm technology. You should still change your batteries every six months no matter what the manufacturer says on the box. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the life of your family and home.

The NFPA does recommend that you replace your smoke detectors at least every 10 years though. They do not last forever, even if they never go off. Each unit is tested before being placed on the market and after 10 years, you never know if they are still operating as they should be. Do not take that chance; replace them every 10 years anyway.