If you smoke detector is constantly beeping every 30 seconds or so then this more than likely means that it is time to change your batteries in the smoke detector, that is if you have a battery operated smoke detector beeping. There is a good rule of thumb that you should always be checking your smoke detectors to ensure that they are working properly, and you should replace the batteries in your smoke alarm twice a year to be on the safe side. If you do this not only will this ensure the safety of your home and whoever is in it but it will also stop smoke detectors from beeping at 2am in the morning, which is when they always seem to start beeping and going off.

What Kind Of Batteries Do Smoke Detectors Use?

This depends on when the smoke detector and where the smoke detector was made. In my experience most of the new models of smoke detectors us 9 volt batteries, while some are hard-wired, and some are a combination of both. If there are any new smoke alarms that are out there that are different than this I would like to be made aware of this as it is not my nature to give out false information.

Smoke Detector Keeps Beeping After Battery Replacement

Some smoke detectors will keep beeping even after you replace the battery for a couple of reasons. The number one reason a smoke detector wont stop beeping after you replace the batteries is that the batteries are bad. Batteries do go bad if they are stored for long periods of time or now in there package. I have many years experience working in an apartment complex and many of my technicians have had the same problem with a smoke detector chirping after installing a fresh new 9volt battery.

But there are some smoke detectors that need to be reset. This is what I do every time I replace a smoke detector battery and being that I have worked maintenance at a complex with 500+ units I do this almost every single day so I know what the hell I am talking about. Take the smoke detector down and remove the battery. Push the button to test the smoke alarm without the battery in it, guess what, you will here a beep! This is because the smoke detector still has a little bit of a charge from the worn out battery.

Push the test button again – you will here a small chirp or nothing at all. Now the smoke detector is reset, insert the new battery and test. This works for me 99% if the time, as I said before I service smoke detectors for a living. Now there have been a few times when I ran across that smoke detector that won’t stop beeping after battery replacement. If you tried to reset the smoke detector like I said above and it is still beeping, just trash it and get a new one. Smoke detectors are recommended by many professionals to be replaced every 10 years, some less some more, but this is when you know for sure that it is time to replace your smoke detector, you do not want to take any chances when it comes to the safety of your home and your family.

Hard-Wired Smoke Detector Keeps Beeping

If you have a smoke detector that is not battery operated and just hard wired and it keeps beeping, then you may not have any power to the smoke detector. Ensure that the breaker to the smoke detector is on and working, you can check this with a volt meter, or most smoke detectors will have a power indication light on them also.

If you have any questions about a beeping smoke detector that I did not cover or have something to add then feel free to leave a comment.