Who doesn’t love the functionality of a fire alarm, right? It keeps us safe by detecting a fire and alarming us to evacuate during a fire. Without a fire alarm, a fire accident can be fatal. So, keeping the fire alarm error-free is very important.
However, various problems can arise with your fire alarm which can make the unit blink red for various intervals.
So, you might wonder why your fire alarm blinks red every 10, 15, or 30 seconds. Let’s find out the reasons why your fire alarm blinks red.
Fire alarm blinking red every 10, 15 or 30 seconds
The fire alarm blinks red every 10, 15, or 30 seconds for numerous reasons. It can occur if the batteries are not installed properly, low battery charge, malfunctioning alarm, and more. You can however stop the fire alarm from blinking quite easily by finding the issue and solving it accordingly.
If the fire alarm blinks a red light for 10, 15, or 30 seconds, then it means that there is a problem with the fire alarm. The red light can blink in the fire alarm for both minor and major issues.
If a fire alarm blinks for only 10 seconds, then it mostly indicates that there are minor issues with the alarm. It usually indicates that the batteries are low on charge, the batteries are not installed correctly, and dust is accumulated in the alarm.
The fire alarm blinking red for 15 seconds means that there are moderate issues with the unit. The fire alarm blinks for 15 seconds if the unit needs maintenance, and due to lingering smoke. It also indicates that you need to test the fire alarm.
If the fire alarm blinks for 30 seconds, it indicates that there are some serious problems in the unit.
It can happen if the fire alarm is sensitive to smoke indoors, and the fire alarm is malfunctioning. However, it can also mean that the unit is fine and functioning as it should.
Let’s take a look in detail at why your fire alarm is blinking red light for 10, 15, or 30 seconds.
Every 10 seconds
The battery is low on charge:
If your battery is low on charge, your alarm won’t function properly and it won’t be able to give a warning of fire correctly. As a result, when the charge of the battery gets low, it will start to blink red light every 10 seconds.
Batteries are not installed properly:
The batteries on a fire alarm need to be installed and connected correctly so that it accurately warns you in case of a fire.
As a result, the fire alarms are engineered in such a way that they will blink every 10 seconds when the batteries are not installed properly.
Dust is accumulated on the fire alarm:
If dust piles up on the fire alarm, then it can malfunction and give false warnings. So, the fire alarm will blink red every 10 seconds if dust is accumulated on it.
Every 15 seconds
The fire alarm needs maintenance:
The fire alarm needs maintenance to ensure that the unit provides proper warning during a fire. When it is time for the fire alarm for maintenance, the unit will blink every 15 seconds.
Lingering smoke:
The lingering smoke from your kitchen while smoking can make the fire alarm blink every 15 seconds. It will give soft signals through the blinking to warn you that there is smoke in your house.
To test the fire alarm:
By blinking every 15 seconds, the fire alarm indicates that it is time for it to be tested. You will need to test the fire alarm on a regular basis to make sure that the unit is functioning properly.
Every 30 seconds
Sensitive to indoor smoke:
If your fire alarm is sensitive to the indoor smoke that is released while cooking or for some other reason, the fire alarm will blink every 30 seconds. By doing so the fire alarm gives soft signals and warns that there might be a fire in your house.
The fire alarm is malfunctioning:
A fire alarm will blink every 30 seconds if it is malfunctioning. The malfunctioning fire alarm will not warn you properly in case of a fire and smoke in your house.
The unit is functioning just fine:
You can get surprised by the fact that some fire alarms are engineered to blink every 30 seconds when it is functioning as they should.
So, the fire alarm will blink every 30 seconds from the beginning, and when it will stop blinking it will indicate that there is a problem in the unit.
Is it normal for a smoke detector to flash red?
It is quite normal for a smoke detector to flash red indicators. Most smoke detectors are engineered in such a way that they will blink red continuously every 30 seconds if the alarm is working properly.
So, if your fire alarm is blinking red from the very start, then you should be assured that the fire alarm is working just fine.
That being said, if your fire alarm doesn’t blink a red light from the beginning, then it is not normal. It will indicate that there is a problem with the fire alarm.
It mostly indicates that the fire alarm needs maintenance, batteries are low on charge, incorrect installation of batteries, sensitive to light smokes, and the smoke detector needs maintenance.
How often should a smoke alarm flash red?
The smoke alarm should flash red momentarily every 30 seconds to indicate that they are functioning properly.
If the fire alarm flashes a red indicator every 40 to 60 seconds, then it will also indicate that the smoke detectors are working properly.
It is quite normal for a smoke alarm to often flash a red indicator. This is due to the fact that the smoke alarms come equipped with a feature that makes them blink red when they are functioning properly.
However, if the fire alarms blink red quite rapidly and every 10, or 15 seconds, then it indicates that they are malfunctioning. It can also indicate that there are some issues with the fire alarm. So, you should check your fire alarm once it starts flashing red.
How do I turn off the red light on my smoke detector?
Turning off the red light on your smoke detector is not as difficult and complicated as it may seem to you.
You can do it quite effortlessly in a very short period of time. However, you should do it in the right way to prevent any damage to the smoke detectors. Let’s find out how you can turn off the red light on your smoke detector.
Make sure that the red light is not blinking due to any issues:
First, you should make sure that the smoke detector is not blinking a red light every 10, 15, or 30 seconds due to any problem in the detectors. You should also check that there is no smoke in your house.
Find the test button of the smoke detector:
You should locate the test button on your smoke detector and then hold the test button to reset the detector. You might need to press for around five to ten seconds depending on the type of alarm you have before hearing a series of sounds.
Your smoke detectors should stop blinking red lights immediately after they have been reset.
If necessary, replace the batteries:
If your smoke detector hasn’t stopped blinking red light even after resetting, you will have to replace the batteries.
The smoke detectors can start blinking red light when the charge on the batteries is low and they are not installed properly. So, by replacing the batteries you can turn off the red light on your smoke detector.
Perform routine maintenance:
If your smoke detectors don’t stop blinking even after changing the batteries and resetting the detectors, you should perform routine maintenance.
The smoke detector should stop blinking red by performing routine maintenance on a regular basis.
Final Thoughts
Your fire alarm can blink red light every 10, 15, or 30 seconds due to various reasons. A fire alarm usually blinks red light from the start every 30 seconds indicating that they are working correctly. It can however also mean that there are some problems in the fire alarm that needs to be fixed.