My Smoke Detectors Keep Sounding False Alarms – Why?
How many of us have tripped a false alarm from a smoke detector by leaving something on the stove too long? False alarms are a pretty common thing in the smoke detector world. One or two false alarms every few months is no big deal. But if your smoke detector sounds false alarms several times per week, you have a problem.
Frequent false alarms can motivate a property owner to disable smoke detectors. That is not good. A smoke detector offers no tangible benefit if it is disabled. So rather than taking out the batteries or cutting the power, it is better to figure out why a smoke detector sounds false alarms and correct that problem.
Vivint Smart Home has a fantastic post on their website detailing the most common causes of smoke detector false alarms. Here are just some of those causes, along with my own thoughts:
1. Smoke Detector Placement
Device placement is everything when it comes to maximizing the benefits of having smoke alarms in a home. Unfortunately, poor placement can result in frequent false alarms. One of the placement issues Vivint points out is installing a smoke detector too close to cooking appliances.
Ovens, stoves, and toaster ovens can all set off smoke detectors with just a little bit of smoke. That’s why it’s not a good idea to have a detector installed in the kitchen. A better bet is to install it just outside the kitchen, so that it is at least ten feet away from all cooking appliances.
2. High Humidity and Steam
Due to the way some smoke detectors work, the devices can be overly sensitive to high humidity and steam. An affected smoke detector might be subject to false alarms if it is installed near a window. On exceptionally humid summer days, moisture coming into the home through the window can cling to the device’s sensor or scatter its light beam.
A similar problem exists in bathrooms. Steam from the shower can throw off a smoke detector in the hall just outside the door. Steam is often confused as smoke, especially by detectors that rely on photoelectric technology.
3. Dirty Environments
Photoelectric smoke detectors utilize a beam of light sent from transmitter to receiver. If that beam is interrupted, the device assumes smoke and sounds an alarm. Think about what this means in dirty environments, environments where there is lots of dust to contend with.
Dust in the air can trigger false alarms. In addition, allowing dust to build up can cause problems for a smoke detector over long periods of time. This is why experts recommend cleaning smoke detectors at the same time batteries are changed. Sticking with the daylight savings time schedule ensures both are done at least twice per year.
4. High Sensitivity Calibration
Finally, smoke detectors are calibrated for sensitivity. If a device is too sensitive, it can be set off by everything from dust to insects. Entry-level, budget smoke detectors might not be adjustable. More expensive models usually are. The question is this: how would you know if your smoke detector is too sensitive?
Some devices come with testing units. Otherwise, Vivint Smart Home says consumers can buy a special spray for testing purposes. Consumers with smoke detectors installed as part of a full security system can request a test from their providers.
If you have smoke detectors that frequently sound false alarms, you might be tempted to simply disable them. Do not. Instead, work on figuring out why you’re getting so many false alarms. Solve that problem and you will be in good shape.
