Is there a bird or some sort of animal in the office or the building? What’s that chirping noise? Oh, it’s the fire alarm. Why is the commercial fire alarm chirping?
In a commercial setting, even a small beep can raise big concerns. Is it a malfunction? A low battery? A bigger issue hiding behind the scenes? Understanding what causes a commercial fire alarm to chirp can help you respond quickly, prevent downtime, and keep your property protected.
There are several reasons your fire alarm is chirping. Perhaps there’s a loose or improperly installed battery that needs to be checked. Sometimes, the battery connections aren’t making good contact with the battery or the battery isn’t snapped into its slot completely. When it comes to batteries, make sure you’re using the recommended type, that it’s/they’re “still good,” and that the battery compartment door is completely closed.
Environmental Conditions
What about environmental conditions? Sometimes alarms chirp because they’re picking up steam, condensation or humidity. Chirps can also happen if the temperature in the room is not normal (too cold, too hot) or if there’s excess air flow really close to the alarm from a fan or open window.
If and when your commercial fire alarm system is chirping, make the needed adjustments based on the aforementioned information, and/or reset the alarm as needed. You might need to manually reset the alarm in order to clear the error from the system’s memory.
Electrical Conditions
What if the system keeps chirping even though you’ve tried to get it to quit? It could be an electrical condition, such as a power surge or something else being turned on (that’s on the same circuit).
Old Parts
Finally, maybe your alarm system’s chirp means it’s time to replace the alarm because it’s too old. Check your user manual and/or look for a date code stamped on the label of the unit to see when it should be replaced with a new unit.
A commercial fire alarm system is one of the most important safety investments in your building. When it chirps, it’s doing its job by alerting you to a potential issue. Whether you need replacement batteries, new smoke detector heads, or hard-to-find manufacturer components, having the right parts on hand makes all the difference.
Do you need help finding fire alarm system replacement parts or commercial fire alarms in general? Notably, we stock a wide range of commercial fire alarm and smoke detector replacement parts to help you resolve issues quickly and keep your system performing at its best. Please call Life Safety Consultants at 1-888-557-0558 or use this online contact form if you have any questions.
