Kidde smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector beeping

Q: Why Does My Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide alarm keep going off?

False alarms are most commonly caused by something interfering with the sensor. To clean, after disconnecting the alarm and removing any removable battery: hold the unit by its edge and thoroughly blow through the gap on the side of the unit with compressed air (like keyboard cleaner).

Q: Why does my smoke and carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?

Replace or Check the Battery Usually, the annoying beeping caused by a carbon monoxide detector is to alert you about a malfunctioning battery. If the old battery requires changing or its slipped out of place, the unit will chirp. Try reinstalling the battery or replacing it, and then reset your device.

Q: Why Does My Kidde carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?

Consistent Chirping If you only hear one chirp every 30 seconds, this may indicate that your alarm has one of the following conditions: End-of-Life warning. Low battery warning (see your users manual for more details) Alarm malfunction.

WHAT IS CARBON MONOXIDE (CO)?

Table of Contents Show

Can you reduce the possibility of this happening?
Back to Support Center
How do I stop my Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide alarm from chirping?
Why Does My Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide alarm keep going off?
Why does my smoke and carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?
Why Does My Kidde carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?

CO is a colorless, odorless and tasteless poisonous gas that can be fatal when inhaled
CO is often referred to as the "invisible killer"
CO inhibits the blood's capacity to carry oxygen
CO is produced when fuels such as gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil or wood is burned

WHERE DOES CO COME FROM?

Any fuel-burning appliance that is malfunctioning or improperly installed
Furnaces, water heaters, space heaters, clothes dryers, stoves, fireplaces and portable generators
Grills used in an enclosed space
Vehicles running in an attached garage
Blocked chimney or flue
Cracked or loose furnace exchanger
Back-drafting and changes in air pressure

WHAT ARE CO POISONING SYMPTOMS?

Initial symptoms are similar to the flu without a fever and can include dizziness, severe headaches, nausea, sleepiness, fatigue and disorientation.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF CO EXPOSURE?

Mild Exposure: A slight headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, flu-like symptoms
Medium Exposure: A severe headache, drowsiness, confusion, fast heart rate
Extreme Exposure: Convulsions, unconsciousness, brain damage, heart and lung failure followed by death
Dizziness

ARE THERE ANY STEPS I CAN TAKE TO PREVENT CO POISONING?

The only safe way to detect CO in your home is with a working CO alarm. Equip your home with CO alarms on every level and outside each sleeping area
Have your heating system, vents, chimney and flue inspected annually by a qualified technician
Install and operate appliances according to the manufacturer's instructions
Only purchase appliances that have been approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory
Never use a gas stove to heat the home
Never leave a vehicle idling in a closed garage
Never use a grill or portable generator in close proximity to your home. CO emitted by these items can seep into your home through vents and doors

DO I NEED A CO ALARM? WHERE SHOULD IT BE INSTALLED?

All states (except Hawaii and Kansas) have laws requiring carbon monoxide laws
Check out the laws in your state

SHOULD MY CO ALARM HAVE A DIGITAL DISPLAY? WHAT DOES THE PEAK LEVEL FUNCTION DO?

A digital display allows you to see if CO is present and respond before it becomes a dangerous situation. Peak Level Memory stores the highest recorded reading prior to being reset. This feature enables you to know if there was a reading while you were away from home, and also can help emergency responders determine the best treatment.

WHO SHOULD I CALL IF MY CO ALARM GOES OFF?

Get out into fresh air and call 911. If you are unable to leave the home, open the doors and windows, and turn off all possible sources of CO while you are waiting for assistance to arrive. Under no circumstance should an alarm be ignored.

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It's a sound many homeowners have heard: the 3 a.m. alarm chirp. Why does it happen? Well, it's a simple matter of the battery's charge level and a home's air temperature.

As a smoke alarm's battery nears the end of its life, the amount of power it produces causes an internal resistance. A drop in room temperature increases this resistance, which may impact the battery's ability to deliver the power necessary to operate the unit in an alarm situation.

This battery characteristic can cause a smoke alarm to enter the low battery chirp mode when air temperatures drop. Most homes are the coolest between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. That's why the alarm may sound a low-battery chirp in the middle of the night, and then stop when the home warms up a few degrees.

Can you reduce the possibility of this happening?

Yes! Here are some steps you can take:

Replace the batteries in all your alarms, and remember to test them weekly.
Check the age of your smoke alarms. Kidde recommends replacing all smoke alarms - battery and hardwired - every 10 years. If your alarms are older or you don't know their age, you should replace them.
CO alarms will sound a required "end-of-life" chirp after seven to ten years of power. Beat the beep by replacing outdated alarms.

If your alarm is going off and you don't know why, check out our article on "What is Causing My Smoke Alarm to Sound, Beep, or Chirp?" for tips on solving the problem.

If it's between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, a member of our product support team is available at 1-800-880-6788 to answer your questions.

Back to Support Center

How do I stop my Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide alarm from chirping?

Resetting the Alarm.

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. ... .

Reconnect the power and reinstall the battery..

Why Does My Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide alarm keep going off?

False alarms are most commonly caused by something interfering with the sensor. To clean, after disconnecting the alarm and removing any removable battery: hold the unit by its edge and thoroughly blow through the gap on the side of the unit with compressed air (like keyboard cleaner).

Why does my smoke and carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?

Replace or Check the Battery Usually, the annoying beeping caused by a carbon monoxide detector is to alert you about a malfunctioning battery. If the old battery requires changing or it's slipped out of place, the unit will chirp. Try reinstalling the battery or replacing it, and then reset your device.

Why Does My Kidde carbon monoxide alarm keep beeping?

Consistent Chirping If you only hear one chirp every 30 seconds, this may indicate that your alarm has one of the following conditions: End-of-Life warning. Low battery warning (see your user's manual for more details) Alarm malfunction.