Smoke alarms are more likely to ‘chirp’ at night due to lower temperatures.
The voltage of a battery drops as it reaches the end of its life. When a smoke alarm detects this lowered voltage, it emits a regular beeping sound before the battery finally expires, providing sufficient time to replace the battery before the alarm is deactivated.
Lower temperatures can also cause the voltage of a battery to drop. Our houses are often cooler at night, causing the voltage to drop, which triggers the low battery alert. It is particularly common in autumn and winter.
Reviewed: 14/09/2023 (doc:536 V1.0). Our articles are reviewed regularly. However, any changes made to standards or legislation following the review date will not have been considered. Please note that we provide abridged, easy-to-understand guidance. To make detailed decisions about your fire safety provisions, you might require further advice or need to consult the full standards and legislation.
