Why Does My Carbon Monoxide Detector Going Off In The Night

Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are necessary for the home; they can save your life. But that doesn’t stop them from being annoying.

We’ve all been there when you’re trying to cook a nice dinner, and a little puff of smoke drifts near the smoke detector. It starts sounding, and you spend the next 10 minutes standing on a chair, wafting a dish towel at the machine.

Or, you’re peacefully asleep, and the carbon monoxide alarm goes off. You jump out of bed, but it is a false alarm.

Knowing that your carbon monoxide detector is working correctly without disrupting your life is essential. Keep reading to learn why your smoke detector is going off in the middle of the night.

The first thing to do is replace the battery on the detector. Then, if the alarm is still going off unnecessarily, consider the temperature of the room and the moisture levels.

If it’s exceptionally chilly or moist, this may be causing the problem. If in doubt, replace the device and install it in a different area of the house.

Keep reading to learn what might be the problem with your carbon monoxide detector and how to fix it. 

There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.

What’s the Difference Between Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Smoke Detectors?

A smoke detector emits an alarm when there’s a fire, whereas a carbon monoxide detector sounds when an appliance in or near the home emits carbon monoxide. The sensor detects a gas that sets off the alarm in both scenarios. 

The Carbon Monoxide detector is usually found on the wall, whereas a smoke detector is on the ceiling. This is because smoke rises and thus will drift closer to the smoke detector.  

The two detectors can be found in many models: wired, wireless, battery, no battery, affordable, and high-end. Some sensors are2-in-one and detect both smoke and carbon monoxide. 

How to Tell if There It’s a False Alarm:

The alarm going off for no reason is a problem. However, you must ensure it is a false alarm before figuring out how to silence it.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can sneak up on you with little to no warning. The initial warning signs of a carbon monoxide leak can be very subtle that most homeowners will ignore them.

Here are some early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

  • Mild dizziness.
  • Headaches.
  • Trouble breathing.

Why is my Carbon Monoxide Detector Going Off in the Middle of the Night?

Many homeowners have experienced an unpleasant false alarm in the dead of night. It can give you a massive fright, making you jump out of bed for no reason.

There are a few potential reasons for this:

The alarm is low battery

When the battery is nearing the end of its life, it produces enough power to cause internal resistance in the detector, thus setting it off.

The alarm is in an area of low temperature

 It is coldest usually between 2 am and 6 am in most homes, and thus the alarm will go off at this time.

Unfortunately, the low temperature also causes internal resistance in the detector and does not allow enough power through the device. This results in the machine going into low battery mode and start beeping.

The alarm is kept too close to appliances that give off carbon monoxide

Some household appliances naturally emit tiny amounts of carbon monoxide during regular use. If the detector is very close to the appliance in a non-ventilated room, the sensor can pick up on small amounts of carbon monoxide and set off the alarm. 

Tiny amounts of carbon monoxide are safe to breathe in; try moving the alarm flighty further away from the appliance to see if this is the cause.

Moisture

Although moisture won’t trigger the alarm, dampness inside the detector can eventually lead the machine to malfunction. Generally, it’s accepted that moisture is bad for electronics, and the same goes for household alarms. 

This is why it’s not recommended to install carbon monoxide detectors in bathrooms and basements, as these are usually the dampest rooms in the house. 

The only way to tell if moisture is the culprit is to replace the detector and install it in a different area of the house.

How do I Stop my Carbon Monoxide Detector from Going Off in the Middle of the Night?

The action you need to take to stop the alarm from sounding unnecessary will depend on your type of alarm. However, these are the most common steps to take:

  • The first and easiest thing to do is replace the batteries for a battery-operated alarm. The batteries may be running low or may even be faulty.
  • If you have an old alarm, replace it. After about five to seven years, most alarms need replacing. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for your alarm type and the recommended life span for the alarm. 
  • Replacing the alarm is an easy, surefire way to stop it from chirping or going off unnecessarily. If you replace the alarm and the new one begins sounding off, there’s a high chance you have incorrectly identified the alarm as false, and there may be a carbon monoxide leak.
  • Hardwired smoke detectors need to be replaced less frequently every ten years. Again, refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

You can purchase the following different types of carbon monoxide detectors:

  1. A plug-in carbon monoxide detector
  2. A battery-operated carbon monoxide detector
  3. A 2-in-1 smoke and carbon monoxide detector
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Why is my Smoke Alarm Beeping?

Okay, now that you have figured out the carbon monoxide detector, you might be wondering what to do with your smoke detector. Unfortunately, smoke detectors are also prone to chirping and beeping at the wrong moments.

Here are a few reasons why:

If the alarm is sounding continuously and loudly

If the smoke detector is going off at full volume and continuously, it’s impossible to ignore. The smoke detector has a sensor chamber inside, and it will trigger the alarm when it detects smoke.

However, the alarm may be triggered if the chamber gets clogged with dirt, grease, or even moisture. The alarm will not stop until the air it detects is clear. 

So double-check that there is no smoke, and if so, consider replacing the alarm. Unfortunately, it is too difficult to clean the detection chamber.

If the alarm is chirping consistently

Many alarms will chirp at regular intervals, usually every 30 to 60 seconds. This can last days and even a week.

It usually indicates that the alarm is low battery and needs new batteries. In the meantime, you can usually find a ‘hush’ or ‘silent’ button while locating and fitting the new batteries.

Consider replacing the alarm if the chirping continues after new batteries are fitted.

If the alarm chirps intermittently

If the alarm chirps in an irregular pattern, there is a high chance of a fault inside the machine. Usually, the white wire inside the machine has come loose.

To fix this, tighten the nut that attaches to the wire. This will usually stop the beeping.

However, you may also need to replace the smoke detector. 

To Summarize

You mustn’t write off sounding alarms as false alarms too quickly. Double-check the appliance and the house to ensure there isn’t a more significant issue at foot.

Once you have established that it’s a false alarm, you can do a few things to address the problems. Electronics tend to fail and malfunction, so change the batteries and the entire device according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. 

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Farah Zeb is a mother of five, including two children with special needs. She shares practical parenting tips and resources to help other families navigate daily challenges and create supportive, nurturing environments.

Picture of Farah Zeb

Farah Zeb

Farah Zeb is a mother of five, including two children with special needs. She shares practical parenting tips and resources to help other families navigate daily challenges and create supportive, nurturing environments.

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