Smoke alarm keeps going off

[NoXion]

So the smoke alarms in my flat have gone off (for NO FUCKING REASON) and the fucking stupid things won't shut off. They're too fucking loud and I can't even hear myself think. What the fuck do I do? If they were just the stick-up battery powered jobbies I would have taken them down and smashed them into little bits ages ago, but these fuckers are wired in.

Fucking help. This shit is driving me fucking crazy and I have no idea what to do. I don't have credit to call the housing association. FUCK THIS SHIT

 

[Pickman's model]

in the future cover the alarm with clingfilm

 

[Pickman's model]

see which of the fuses in the fuse box do it

 

[Pickman's model]

So the smoke alarms in my flat have gone off (for NO FUCKING REASON) and the fucking stupid things won't shut off. They're too fucking loud and I can't even hear myself think. What the fuck do I do? If they were just the stick-up battery powered jobbies I would have taken them down and smashed them into little bits ages ago, but these fuckers are wired in.

Fucking help. This shit is driving me fucking crazy and I have no idea what to do. I don't have credit to call the housing association. FUCK THIS SHIT

email the housing association

 

[hash tag]

Not to be recommended, but you could probably remove the head units.
they can be activated by dust and aerosols as well as smoke.
are they very old? They appear to get more sensitive with age.

 

[Casual Observer]

Cover the non-existent fire with wet towels and then pretend to call the fire brigade.

 

[two sheds]

When it happened to mine the IfU recommended vacuuming the unit. Did work but I'd imagine it's smoke-alarm dependent.

 

[NoXion]

in the future cover the alarm with clingfilm

My flatmate smokes joints right underneath it and somehow manages not to set it off, and this morning it just fucking randomly goes off. It's fucking shit.

see which of the fuses in the fuse box do it

Already tried that. Fuck knows what that fuse actually does, since nothing happened.

email the housing association

Jesus fucking Christ, it takes at least two days before I can expect a reply! I'd end up smashing it first.

...

In fact, I ended up doing just that. I've already phoned in saying that my fire alarm doesn't work, and they're coming round on the 12th.

What kind of utterly fucking stupid bullshit is it to include a mute button on those things that DOESN'T WORK?!

 

[Pickman's model]

My flatmate smokes joints right underneath it and somehow manages not to set it off, and this morning it just fucking randomly goes off. It's fucking shit.



Already tried that. Fuck knows what that fuse actually does, since nothing happened.



Jesus fucking Christ, it takes at least two days before I can expect a reply! I'd end up smashing it first.

...

In fact, I ended up doing just that. I've already phoned in saying that my fire alarm doesn't work, and they're coming round on the 12th.

What kind of utterly fucking stupid bullshit is it to include a mute button on those things that DOESN'T WORK?!

have you tried securing a pillow or cushion over it?

 

[NoXion]

have you tried securing a pillow or cushion over it?

No point, I already fucking smashed them into silence because the noise was deafening to the point where I was finding it hard to think straight. The repair guys can sort it out on the 12th.

 

[maomao]

Do you own a hammer?

 

[NoXion]

Do you own a hammer?

No, I used a small saucepan with a heavy bottom.

 

[editor]

The council fitted smoke alarms to my block of flats a while ago and you could hear them all going off at all times of the day and night. After several 5am awakenings, I ripped mine out and replaced them with smartypants Nest alarms. Not cheap but bloody brilliant.

 

[two sheds]

Ask maintenance people whether vacuuming them would help?

 

[NoXion]

Ask maintenance people whether vacuuming them would help?

No point now, I've smashed both of them and they will need to be replaced.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

No point now, I've smashed both of them and they will need to be replaced.

It's reasonable to smash them if the HA won't come out for 8 days - they can't expect someone to live with that din for over a week.

 

[Saul Goodman]

So the smoke alarms in my flat have gone off (for NO FUCKING REASON)

That's never the case. They've gone off for some fucking reason.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Steam from showers or cooking can set them off.

 

[two sheds]

Not vacuuming them can set them off.







/scarpers

 

[xenon]

The communal fire alarm here goes off quite often, Tripped by a fault in a smoke detector down stairs. The HA won't let themselves into the flat, which is tenanted but apparently there's never anyone there to answer the door to see what's up.

Which doesn't sound quite right thinking about it. The fire brigade aren't linked to it any more. THey used to come out every time.

 

[Saul Goodman]

The fire brigade aren't linked to it any more. THey used to come out every time.

There's a massive charge for false alarms, which is most likely why they no longer come out.
I was working at a place in the mid 80s, and 3 times in a single week I managed to accidentally set off the fire alarm (It wasn't my fault, honest), and each time 15 or so fire engines arrived, followed by a bill for £12k from the fire brigade.

 

[xenon]

There's a massive charge for false alarms, which is most likely why they no longer come out.
I was working at a place in the mid 80s, and 3 times in a single week I managed to accidentally set off the fire alarm (It wasn't my fault, honest), and each time 15 or so fire engines arrived, followed by a bill for £12k from the fire brigade.

Ouch.
had to pay a fine once. Me and an idiot mate aged circa 17 set one off by using a can of WD40 as a flame thrower... Fortuantely nothing actually caught fire but the fireball was quite impressive. Better than the previously used Lynx.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Not vacuuming them can set them off.







/scarpers

Not true. I hoover once a year and the clouds of dust never set the smoke alarms of here.

 

[two sheds]

You bought the wrong type of alarm, clearly

 

[Calamity1971]

You bought the wrong type of alarm, clearly

Or its clogged to the gills with dust, the scruffy fecker!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

You bought the wrong type of alarm, clearly

Possibly.

Or its clogged to the gills with dust, the scruffy fecker!

My shed skin is of a superior quality so doesn't interfere with a poxy smoke alarm.

 

[two sheds]

Possibly.



My shed skin is of a superior quality so doesn't interfere with a poxy smoke alarm.

No, I'm the one with shed skin.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

No, I'm the one with shed skin.

Yeah, but yours is made of mouldy wood shavings, so doesn't count.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

This has got me wondering - can dust be put to some use, rather than just throwing it away. Perhaps it could be a flour substitute in bread and cakes.

 

[circleline]

(Too late now, I understand, but..) Smoke alarm constantly activated is an emergency call-out for your HA electrician. There will be an 'out of hours' service provided for evenings and weekends. You will need to call them though.