Kidde carbon monoxide detector end of life how to stop beeping

CO alarms need to be replaced every 7 years

The Seattle Fire Department has received multiple 9-1-1 calls this year from concerned residents because of chirping carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. While it’s important to call 9-1-1 if your CO alarm is sounding continuously without stopping, a CO alarm that chirps every 30 seconds is not an emergency. It probably means your CO alarm has reached its end of life and should be replaced.

Table of Contents Show

Loose, or Improperly Installed Battery
Environmental Conditions
Resetting the Alarm
Electrical Condition
Alarm Needs to be Replaced
Back to Support Center
How do I stop my carbon monoxide alarm from beeping in the end of life?
How do I stop the Kidde end of life beep?
How do I silence my end of life alarm?
Why Does My Kidde carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping end?

CO alarm life span

CO alarms have a life expectancy of around seven years. All CO alarms produced after August 1, 2009, have an end-of-life warning notification that alerts the resident that the alarm should be replaced. The CO alarm will beep every 30 seconds or display ERR or END.

If a CO alarm is at its end-of-life, replacing the battery will not stop the beep. Some CO alarms have a feature that will silence the signal for 30 days, but this will not solve the issue as the CO alarm will continue to beep after the 30 day period ends.

What people should know

In January of 2013, Washington State law (RCW 19.27.530) required CO alarms to be installed in new residences and in existing rental properties. Owner-occupied single-family residences, legally occupied before July 26, 2009, are not required to have CO alarms until they are sold or when a building permit application for interior remodeling is submitted.

Homeowners should consider replacing all CO alarms that were installed in or before 2013. A CO alarm that signals that it’s at the end of its life should be replaced as well.

Renters should notify property managers or landlords immediately if their CO alarm is beeping every 30 seconds indicating its end-of-life. They should also know that intermittent beeping CO alarm is not reason to call 9-1-1.

A CO alarm that beeps continuously without stopping could indicate that carbon monoxide is present. If you your CO alarm is sounding continuously and you have signs of CO poisoning such as dizziness, headache, vomiting or flu like symptoms, find fresh air and call 9-1-1 immediately.

More information on carbon monoxide alarm requirements

State Building Code Council’s Carbon Monoxide Alarm page.

Seattle Fire Department’s CAM 5121 Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements in Residential Occupancies

Your detector may be reaching its end-of-life cycle, and may need to be replaced. Many carbon monoxide and smoke detectors come with a “Hush” feature, which will stop the beeping for 72 hours. To silence the beeping, press and hold the “Hush” or “Test” button. The system will chirp to let you know the command is accepted, and you will have 72 before it begins again. In this time, call our office, and we will send a professional to your home to replace your detectors.

https://securityheadquartersinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Using-the-Hush-feature.mp4

Several things could be causing your alarm(s) to alarm briefly or chirp randomly without a regular pattern. Here are some reasons why this could be happening, and how to stop your smoke alarm from beeping.

Loose, or Improperly Installed Battery

Refer to the following checklist and determine if one of these conditions might be the cause of your problem:

Verify that a battery of the recommended type is securely installed.
Make sure to use a battery with a use-by date no later than four to five years in the future.
Check that the battery is snapped in completely so it cannot be shaken loose.
- It is possible that battery connections may not be making good contact with the battery. Disconnecting and re-connecting the battery once or twice will likely fix this.
On units with a front-load battery, be sure that the battery compartment door is closed completely as well.
- Loose white neutral wire can cause an echoing chirp from one unit to the next.

Environmental Conditions

Refer to the following environmental conditions for possible solutions to an alarm’s random chirping:

Humidity, steam and condensation
Excess air flow: Check to see if there's a cooling/heating register, a ceiling fan, or an open window within three feet of the alarm. If there is, move the alarm away from the source of the increased airflow. Check your user's manual for the correct placement for the alarm.
Temperature - Check the temperature of the room. Smoke alarms operate at 40 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Carbon monoxide alarms operate at 40 degrees to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Causes of condensation are:

Extreme temperature changes
High ambient humidity
Unit being installed in an insulated electrical box mounted on a ceiling beneath an attic

If this condition exists, you should move the alarm. View the correct alarm placement in your user's manual.

Resetting the Alarm

Some smoke alarms have a processor that retains certain error conditions, such as a weak battery. The error condition should reset when the battery is replaced, but sometimes it doesn't and must be manually reset to clear the error.

To reset an AC unit with a battery backup, perform the following steps:

Turn off the power to the smoke alarm at the circuit breaker.
Remove the smoke alarm from the mounting bracket and disconnect the power.
Remove the battery.
Press and hold the test button for at least 15 seconds. The unit may chirp or alarm for a few seconds before going silent.
Reconnect the power and reinstall the battery. The unit will chirp once when the power is restored and should not chirp afterwards.

To reset a DC only unit, perform the following steps:

Remove the battery.
Press and hold the test button for at least 15 seconds. The unit may chirp or alarm for a few seconds before going silent.
Reinstall the battery. The unit will chirp when the battery is first connected but should not chirp afterwards.

Electrical Condition

If the AC power to the unit is interrupted, the unit will chirp when the power is restored. This could be caused by power surges. Refer to the following for specific causes related to an electrical condition:

If the chirping seems to occur at about the same time in the evening or morning, it could be due to a surge created when the power company switches electrical grids to meet demand.
Check to see if the chirp (or chirping) occurs when something else in the house is turned on, such as an exhaust or attic fan, a heater, etc. If the smoke alarm is connected to a circuit with such a device, the alarm may chirp when the other device is switched on.

If this is the case and the device is plugged into a wall outlet, move it to another outlet on a different circuit. If it is a hardwired device, have an electrician investigate it.

These conditions can be minimized by installing your alarms on a dedicated circuit in compliance with NFPA requirements.

Alarm Needs to be Replaced

If none of these conditions exist and the suggestions don't alleviate the symptom, the alarm should be replaced, since age may be a factor. Smoke and heat alarms should be replaced every 10 years, and carbon monoxide and combination alarms should be replaced every 7 years. Most of our alarms have a 5 year warranty from date of purchase (check your user manual). A date code is stamped on the label attached to the back of the unit.

If the unit is out of warranty, purchase a replacement product immediately.

If the unit is within warranty, please call Product Support at 1-800-880-6788. For more information about your specific alarm, refer to your user’s manual.

Back to Support Center

How do I stop my carbon monoxide alarm from beeping in the end of life?

When the CO alarm emits a quick beep every 30 seconds and the red LED flashes, you may need to change the batteries. Replace the batteries in the alarm. If the alarm continues to emit a quick beep every 30 seconds and the red LED flashes, the alarm has reached the end-of-life.

How do I stop the Kidde end of life beep?

End-of-Life warning will chirp twice every 30 seconds after the product has reached it's end of life. The beep will ONLY STOP when the alarm is out of power. It will NOT detect CO in this condition.

How do I silence my end of life alarm?

Why Does My Kidde carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping end?

Consistently chirping carbon monoxide alarms Low Battery Condition – The alarm will chirp once every 60 seconds to indicate the batteries need to be replaced. End of Life Warning – Seven years after initial power up, a Kidde CO alarm will begin chirping every 30 seconds.