False alarms, faulty alarms? What should I do?
July 17, 2018 3:41 AM Subscribe
I’ve had two First Alert Smoke/CO alarms fail in 1.5 years, each lasting about nine months, each time in the same spot.
The location is 1 of 7 wired together professionally (part of a new build), with AC power and battery backup in each alarm. Both times, the power light (was initially green of course) turned and stayed red, only on the alarm at this one location. The alarm triggered a full alarm, across all 7 detectors. Other detectors stayed green. The first occurrence, about 9 months ago, the fire department inspected, including measuring CO levels, and deemed the detector faulty. Well, it happened again this morning at 1am, same spot (for a total of 2 failures).
Later today I will test the AC connection with a volt meter.
What should I do? Should I have the connection tested? Should I replace it with a different model?
The location is 1 of 7 wired together professionally (part of a new build), with AC power and battery backup in each alarm. Both times, the power light (was initially green of course) turned and stayed red, only on the alarm at this one location. The alarm triggered a full alarm, across all 7 detectors. Other detectors stayed green. The first occurrence, about 9 months ago, the fire department inspected, including measuring CO levels, and deemed the detector faulty. Well, it happened again this morning at 1am, same spot (for a total of 2 failures).
Later today I will test the AC connection with a volt meter.
What should I do? Should I have the connection tested? Should I replace it with a different model?
I replaced about 3 detectors within the first couple of years moving into a newly built home. I assumed all the construction dust had something to do with it. Since replacing them, I haven't had any go bad in many years.
Try swapping the "bad" detector with an identical one in another location. See if the problem stays with the detector or the location.
posted by bondcliff at 6:29 AM on July 17, 2018
Try swapping the "bad" detector with an identical one in another location. See if the problem stays with the detector or the location.
posted by bondcliff at 6:29 AM on July 17, 2018
Response by poster: The location is right outside the main bedroom on a level halfway between the main floor and the upstairs. There is an additional detector 5 feet away, but inside the bedroom. The bedroom door was closed both times the alarm triggered. The location is also on a slanted stairway ceiling, if that means anything.
posted by Pig Tail Orchestra at 8:55 AM on July 17, 2018
posted by Pig Tail Orchestra at 8:55 AM on July 17, 2018
I was thinking that maybe humidity or dust may have been causing an issue. But not likely it seems.
posted by tman99 at 9:33 AM on July 17, 2018
posted by tman99 at 9:33 AM on July 17, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by tman99 at 5:42 AM on July 17, 2018