Smoke Detector False Alarms
- Smoke detector placement
- Each Smoke Detector will have specific installation instructions. Please refer to the manual to verify that it is mounted properly.
- Battery Level
- Low and Intermittently low battery level can cause false triggers
- Steam or high humidity
- When mounted nearby a source for steam/high humidity (like a bathroom) these dense particles can get into the sensing chamber and cause false triggers.
- Bugs/Debris
- Similarly, debris in the chamber can cause issues. Seen most often in basements or garages but can happen anywhere. Especially if work has been done to the home (constructions/dry-wall dust, etc.).
One of the great aspects of many smoke detectors is that they have a trouble condition sensor built right in. The LED will light up a specific color and flash every X seconds. This color/flash pattern dictates the issue and can be referenced in the detectors manual.