Beeping from attic

[Chris]

Beeping from attic

We recently moved into a used house and a few months ago noticed a high pitched beeping sound which seemed to originate from a particular location of the ceiling in the hallway. This beeping sound continued for several hours, until finally it started to gradually become quieter and quieter, until after an additional hour or two the sound faded away... as if a battery had been depleted.

We haven't yet entered the attic, as the barely human-sized access hole in our closet isn't very inviting.

Can anyone offer any theories as to what the source of sound could have been? ...how about advice on climbing into the attic?

Please copy your response to [e-mail] if possible.

Thank you!

Chris

[Glenn]

Could be a smoke alarm with batteries getting weak. They are saying, change me.

[CWatters]

Get a proper ladder, not folding steps.

[clintonG]

A month ago the same beeping was heard in my house. I thought it was the UPS for the computer. Hauled that out and the beeping persisted. Then I started getting wierd and thinking a baby chipmunk or some other critter was in the house and even got down looking under furniture and in the closet. Silly me. I then realized the beeps were a single beep I counted 45 seconds apart and had to head into the bathroom when something beeped right over head. Sure enough, there was a smoke alarm we hardly ever pay attention to and luckily it has a weak battery detection that beeps every 45 seconds.

Beeping from attic

[chuckster]

Sounds like someone lost their pager. I had a emergency service call about 5 years ago, for a unknown motor sound in the upper floor hallway of a home. I went there and sure enough I heard a motor sound, checked all the bath fans, circulator pumps, and nothing was running , I then went down and turned off the main breaker and the noise was still there. I investigated a little further and found out that the owners 17 year old daughter dropped her 6" vibrator behind the dresser before she left for school. Service call: $90 Look on moms face: Priceless!

Chris wrote:

[AndyS]

Andy writes:

In our new house we have ceiling smoke detectors in every room. These are wired together and line/battery powered. When one beeps, it is impossible to tell which one, even when 2 feet from it on a ladder. The sound is so high pitched, and only beeps once a minute for a tenth of a second.....

As a practical matter, I would unplug them, one by one, until the beeping stopped. Usually I would have to unplug 5 or 6 before I foung the offender...

So I unplugged all the damn things.... One or another would run down every month and I was constantly hauling a ladder out......and I just got tired of the hassle...

There needs to be a better way of signaling a low battery than beeping it's ass off......

At least if a fire starts, it won't be due to a short in the smoke detector...

I like the one I can buy for $5 and hang on the wall. Cheaper and easier to locate when bad..

Andy in Eureka, Texas

[SERENA MAILE]

Hi I NEED SOME ADVICE / JELP NOW AS AN ALARM IS GOING ON ABOVE THINHOUSING ASS..FLAT / lOUTSIDE MY BEDROOM UP WHERE THE DLUE IS. SHOULD I CALL GASWAY UP OR SUFFOLK HOUSING OR FLAGSHIP ?? /( NOW.BEEN RINGING FORnTHELAST 25 MINS ). BIG THANK YOU SONSORRY TO WAKENYOU AND YOUR FAMILY UP TOO. -- FROM SERENA