Why Do Smoke Alarms Go Off At Night?

Why do smoke alarms go off at night? It’s a question many homeowners ask themselves in the middle of the night. It comes down to two main reasons.

But first, before you remove the batteries or disconnect the smoke detector, you need to confirm that it isn’t a genuine fire alarm. Please check your home for any flaming or smouldering fires before assuming the beeping is a false alarm. Once you have determined that there isn’t a fire or any smoke, you can determine what set off the alarm.

Why do smoke alarms go off at night?

We typically attribute smoke detector false alarms at night to one of two factors: low battery power and a drop in the home’s air temperature, or an environmental factor such as high humidity, steam, or smoke particles in the air.

Low battery life triggers the alarm in a smoke detector more often in the early hours of the morning.

You should check the alarm batteries in every battery operated smoke alarm on a regular basis. As the battery in a smoke alarm loses power, it causes an internal resistance within the smoke detector. If the air temperature in a room decreases, it will increase this internal resistance.

This increased resistance means that the battery might not be able to produce sufficient power for the proper functioning of the smoke alarm. Therefore, the low battery chirp is triggered. But why does this happen more frequently in the early hours of the morning? Quite simply, it’s because most homes have a cooler air temperature between 2am and 6am. You might have noticed that as soon as the day starts to warm up (and there is therefore less resistance in the smoke alarm) it stops chirping.

Steam, humidity, and kitchen smoke might be to blame.

There are a few environmental factors that can trigger a smoke detector’s alarm. Therefore, you need to carefully consider the placement of the smoke alarms within your home.

For example, if you install a smoke detector in a bathroom or just outside the bathroom door, the steam and humidity from a hot shower might be the reason why your alarm sounded. Because many people tend to bath or shower in the evenings, that might be why your smoke alarm is beeping more at night.

You should also avoid installing any smoke detectors near cooking appliances. Smoke particles in the air from a stove, oven, etc. are sufficient to trigger smoke alarms. Most families do the majority of their cooking in the evening, which is why this type of false alarm tends to occur in the evening.

How do you stop smoke alarms going off at night?

• Test every smoke detector regularly and replace the battery when required.
• Replace all smoke detectors every ten years. Ensure they are top quality and comply with the latest legislative requirements, such as these compliant smoke alarms.
• Some carbon monoxide detectors will beep when they have reached the end of their life and need to be replaced.
• Ensure all your smoke alarms are installed in the correct locations throughout your home.
• Relocate all smoke alarms that are near potential sources of steam, humidity, and/or smoke.
• Remember that your home must be compliant with all legislation.