Smoke alarm: false positive ?

[Jethro_uk]

Have just jumped out of my skin, due to the kitchen fire alarm sounding.

Well, once.

It was the alarm signal - 3 *very* loud beeps.

Have treble checked everything, and can't see anything which is on fire, or smouldering.

Alarm is within date (2023).

Not a battery low warning (which is a single, repeated beep).

What are the stats/causes of false smoke alarm soundings ?

For honesty, it's not checked weekly.

Being a hot day, windows are open ... could something have drifted in, enough to set it off ? (It's supposed to be "toast-proof" ????)

Obviously, given recent events, fire safety is uppermost on our minds :(

[Bob Eager]

They're a rate of heat rise alarm, aren't they?

[Robin]

That might explain it if it is such and the sun moved round. But IIRC some heat alarms (including ours) are just absolute temperature. And it's all confused by the heading "smoke alarm" plus the reference to "toast-proof". Smoke alarms generally not recommended for kitchens though.

[tabbypurr]

OP doesn't mention if it's ionisation, optical, heat or rate of rise, or a combined detector - it could be any of those. No fire/smoke detection techn ology is 100% free from false alarms except maybe fixed temperature bimetal detectors. But those are of course the least sensitive & least effective a t saving lives & reducing fire damage. Well... not quite, metal wire detect ors are less effective, but I would not expect to find those in a kitchen.

NT

[tabbypurr]

But they do get used, and can if set up correctly be good at improving fire safety without false alarms. And of course they can too easily be set up wrongly and be a total pain.

NT

[Bob Eager]

I only said that because he said it's toast proof. And what I have in my kitchen.

[Jethro_uk]

definitely a *smoke* alarm.

Apparently, my memory is hazy. SWMBO has reminded me the "toast proof" alarm is the fire alarm in the bedroom hallway (??).

Anyway, I think everything is moot. About 10 minutes ago the "suspect" alarm has just started low-battery beeping. Presumably the previous alarm was just for lolz ....

[Capitol]

Ours is definitely not toast or bacon proof!

[Brian Gaff]

Almost certainly something from outside. I've heard them if barby mainiacs two doors away start burning their food or even the odd bonfire though they are not supposed to do this in daylight. Also often some dust can be drifted in and case a one off problem occasionally. I'd just give the innards a clean and put it down to the heat making stuff cling near the ceiling that you cannot detect from ground level.

I don't like them directly on the ceiling myself hard to reach if the get triggered accidentally. Brian

[Mark]

I used to have ionization type alarms and I did get false warnings. I've switched to optical types and they are much less susceptible to false alarms.

[Bob Eager]

I fitted six alarms in our house. I used all three types, as per:

[ARW]

Complete rubbish,

[tabbypurr]

not the best advice imho. An ionisation alarm moved bit by bit further away from the cooking area until it doesn't false alarm provides far earlier warning and better survival than a heat alarm.

NT

[Bob Eager]

Which is why I have a heat alarm in the kitchen, and an ionisation alarm right outside.

[Robin]

don't you end up with rather a lot of holes in the ceiling?

[Tim Streater]

That's what we're putting in too. The previous cheeseparers put in two smoke alarms, one in the kitchen the other top of the stairs.

[tabbypurr]

Lol. While 'calibrating' for want of a better word it can just be sat loose on whatever's around.

NT

[ARW]

No gravity at your place?

[Max Demian]

Don't some/most smoke alarms have a "snooze button" that deactivates the alarm for ten minutes or so? Usually the same button that you use to test it.

[Robin]

not easy with mains, interconnected ;(