How to Stop a Carbon Monoxide Alarm & What to Do When It Goes Off For Real

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A step-by-step guide to staying safe and preventing future leaks
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We’ve all heard that harsh, incessant beeping sound when our carbon monoxide alarm’s battery is low. If you think that’s bad, wait until you hear the actual warning alarm! Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are a life-saving technology, but that beep might make you wish you didn’t have one to begin with. In this article, we’ll show you how to turn off your carbon monoxide alarm (whether it needs new batteries or there’s an actual leak) and walk you through how to stay safe when it goes off for real. Sweet silence is just the push of a button away!

Things You Should Know

  • Replace the batteries to silence the “low battery” beep, or press and hold the test/silence button to turn off the high-CO warning alarm.
  • During an alarm, evacuate immediately and call emergency services. Make sure everyone is accounted for and check for CO poisoning symptoms.
  • After the building is safe to re-enter, call a professional to examine your appliances and repair or replace the source of the CO leak.
Section 1 of 5:

Silencing the Alarm

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    If you hear this pattern, it means your CO alarm has detected dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide and you need to evacuate the building. Review your owner’s manual before there’s an emergency so you can quickly recognize what your alarm’s different beeping patterns are telling you. [1]
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    [3] First, locate the beeping alarm and remove it from the wall to swap batteries. Most wired alarms are mounted on a circular plate—just twist counterclockwise until it comes off. [4] If the alarm keeps beeping with a fresh battery, it means it’s nearing the end of its life and should be replaced as soon as possible. [5]
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    Depending on your model, you’ll hear beeping when the alarm is unplugged or there’s a power outage, a wiring problem, or an issue with the CO sensor. If your power and wiring are working fine and the alarm is still squealing, call a professional to inspect the device and consider replacing it. [8]
    • To stop the sound: Make sure the alarm is plugged all the way in or that any wire connections are secure and unbroken.
    • Try disconnecting and reconnecting the alarm or wrapping frayed wires with electrical tape .
    • Wipe the air filter with a damp cloth, but don’t get the alarm wet. Sometimes, a clogged filter can trigger the alarm as well.
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Section 2 of 5:

Emergency Procedures

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    Silence the alarm by holding the test/silence button if you pass the alarm on your way out, but this isn’t necessary. If you’re unable to get outside, stand by an open window or on a fire escape to get fresh air. [9]
    • Do a headcount to make sure everyone is accounted for and away from the potential CO leak.
    • Remember that carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless. Always evacuate regardless of whether you observe a direct threat or not.
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    For speed and safety, don’t go out of your way to crack every window in your home. Just open doors and windows you pass as you evacuate (and have other family members do the same). [10]
    • If you can’t exit the building, then go ahead and open as many doors and windows as you can to increase fresh air circulation.
    • Carbon monoxide is about the same density as air, so it can mix and travel throughout your home easily.
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    Only do this if you’re passing them on your way out and you’re not experiencing CO poisoning symptoms. Some appliances produce carbon monoxide when they don’t burn their fuel completely (incomplete combustion). [11] Potential CO-producing appliances include: [12]
    • Gas stoves
    • Hot water heaters
    • Fireplaces
    • Lawnmowers
    • Pilot lights
    • Gas or oil furnaces
    • Car exhaust fumes
    • Wood-burning stoves
    • Charcoal
    • Gas space heaters
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    Call even if you think it might be a false alarm (better safe than sorry!). The dispatcher will send a crew with detection devices to locate the source of CO in your home (or confirm whether the alarm was accurate or not). [13]
    • Once they locate the leak, they will turn off the appliance causing it and ventilate your home with high-powered fans.
    • Once the crew finishes their work, they’ll conduct a final test to make sure your home is safe to re-enter.
    • Do not try to re-enter your home until a professional has tested the air and said it’s safe to go back inside.
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Section 3 of 5:

Signs of CO Poisoning

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    Call 911 to treat CO poisoning immediately if you or anyone you’re with is experiencing symptoms like headaches, nausea, or dizziness. These are all early signs of poisoning that will get worse without treatment and possibly result in death. Intoxicated, elderly, pregnant, or ill people are more sensitive to the effects of carbon monoxide. [14]
    • Common symptoms include:
      • Dull headache
      • Weakness
      • Dizziness
      • Nausea or vomiting
      • Shortness of breath
      • Confusion
      • Blurred vision
      • Loss of consciousness
    • Poisoning happens when carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream and starts to replace the oxygen in your red blood cells.
Section 4 of 5:

Fixing Leaks

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    Contact HVAC technicians or local repair techs and explain that the appliances are off, but may have a CO leak. Try not to use common culprits like furnaces, boilers, water heaters, or stoves until they’ve been inspected. Aim to have your appliances maintained and inspected regularly to avoid future safety hazards. [15]
    • If necessary, you may have to replace a faulty appliance to avoid future leaks.
    • Emergency 911 crews will turn off the original source of CO, but will not repair it.
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Section 5 of 5:

Alarm Testing

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    Hold down the test button until the detector beeps or sounds an alarm. If the alarm doesn’t go off (or sounds too quiet), replace the batteries and try again. If the whole alarm is no longer working, purchase a new alarm as soon as possible. [16]

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    New batteries are inserted, but it still beeps and says "faulty."
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    Community Answer
    Throw it out and a buy a new one. Most alarms that beep all the time are fakes.
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  • Question
    My alarm needs to be replaced, but I can't get it to stop beeping so I can throw away.
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    Remove the batteries.
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    How do you get it to stop beeping?
    Community Answer
    Either press the reset button or temporarily remove the batteries. If the beeping resumes, get a new alarm.
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      Tips

      • Replace your carbon monoxide alarm every 10 years at minimum (most are designed to last 5-7 years). [17]
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      • Install CO alarms in central locations near each sleeping area and on every level of your home. Interconnect all alarms (if possible) so they all beep at once. [18]
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      • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation, battery replacement, testing, and silencing the alarm.
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      Warnings

      • Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that mixes with air very easily. Prolonged exposure to CO will cause illness or death if left untreated. [19]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://simplisafe.com/files/ss_co_manual.pdf
      2. ↑ https://simplisafe.com/files/ss_co_manual.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.tdi.texas.gov/blog/is-your-smoke-or-carbon-monoxide-alarm-chirping-heres-what-its-telling-you.html
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m95LnZTRzY4&t=33s
      5. ↑ https://fireline.seattle.gov/2020/03/25/if-your-co-alarm-chirps-every-30-seconds-its-not-an-emergency-but-you-should-replace-the-co-alarm-a-s-a-p/
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/m95LnZTRzY4?t=54
      7. ↑ https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/blogs/2023/03/06/what-kind-of-smoke-alarm-smoke-detector-should-i-buy
      8. ↑ https://centralcountyfire.org/tips/interpreting-your-smoke-alarms-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors/
      9. ↑ https://centralcountyfire.org/tips/interpreting-your-smoke-alarms-and-carbon-monoxide-detectors/
      1. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/
      2. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/
      3. ↑ https://www.austintexas.gov/page/carbon-monoxide-safety
      4. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15663-carbon-monoxide-poisoning
      5. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15663-carbon-monoxide-poisoning
      6. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15663-carbon-monoxide-poisoning
      7. ↑ https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/blogs/2023/03/06/what-kind-of-smoke-alarm-smoke-detector-should-i-buy
      8. ↑ https://nfcc.org.uk/nfcc-reminds-people-to-replace-smoke-alarms-every-10-years/
      9. ↑ https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/carbon-monoxide
      10. ↑ https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/carbon-monoxide

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