Single Women's Maintenance Tip #19 - Alarms Going Off and Not Turning Off

I came home one night, and about five minutesNOT. They explained something to try and fix the
after turning off the burglar alarm, a screamingproblem and I followed up with some web
alarm began ... that I couldn't turn off. It's a bitresearch. So . . .
nerve wrecking to have an alarm going full blastIf you have smoke detector alarms hard wired
and try to think clearly. Of course, it's 10:30 atfor you house, you need to clean them
night as well; I'm sure my neighbors appreciatedperiodically simply by taking a compressed air can
this.and blowing around the perimeter of the exposed
First of all, I turned off the alarm when I came inopening (as it is hanging in place.) Note: You will
and I had plenty of time to check out the houseknow this is a problem if your fire alarm goes off
and know it was clear. Secondly, the securityAND YOU CANNOT SHUT IT OFF!
system people did not call me. I called them andPS. Hard wired means there is wire, like your
they indicated that there wasn't an alarm goingelectrical outlets, that connects to the house
off (as the alarm distinctly blared as I screamedwiring, in addition to a battery backup. ALL smoke
into the phone.)detectors have batteries; not all smoke detectors
"It's the fire alarm," they explained after doing aare hard wired!
couple of system checks on their end as well asPPS. These smoke detectors may or may not be
with me. They continued to offer support on howmarked as one of the circuit breakers. You have
to get the alarm to stop, although that wasn't into keep flipping circuit breakers until the gosh
the contract. Funny, though, because I thoughtawful wailing of the alarms stops. Mark that circuit
fire alarms WERE in the contract. One of thosebreaker for future notice if it is not already!
things you THINK you are covered, and you are