How to Reset a Carbon Monoxide Alarm
There are a few reasons your carbon monoxide alarm might go off, but you can reset it in a few easy steps.
Written by Payton Ternus
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
When there are high levels of carbon monoxide, or CO, in your home, carbon monoxide alarms are triggered to alert the household. However, alarms could go off for issues with the battery or other problems. You can easily reset your alarm following simple steps.
CO gas can cause significant harm or even death, so it is important to have fully functioning detection equipment. While a persistent alarm is a sign of CO in your home, other beep patterns may indicate something different. It is vital that you know the difference.
Since carbon monoxide gas can be dangerous, testing and resetting your home’s carbon monoxide alarms is essential to keeping you safe and healthy. Luckily, car and
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Why is my carbon monoxide alarm beeping?
If your carbon monoxide alarm is beeping at steady, regular intervals during a non-emergency, there may be a malfunction or battery problem, including:
- Battery trouble: The majority of carbon monoxide alarms will provide a warning for the household when its battery needs to be replaced. The alarm will beep or chirp at intervals of every 30-60 seconds once the battery level falls under a certain point.
- Problems on the inside: Carbon monoxide alarms will sound off at similar intervals if there are any internal defects or malfunctions.
- Alarm’s end of life: Since carbon monoxide alarms have limited lives, they will chirp or beep towards the end so you know it’s ready to be replaced. The alarm intervals will vary by model, but will generally be more frequent than the chirps for a battery warning.
When do I reset my carbon monoxide alarm?
Luckily, carbon monoxide alarms are relatively low maintenance and easy to take care of. You will only need to reset your carbon monoxide alarms when you test the device, when the batteries are changed, or if the alarm has gone off. Automated models will usually reset their own alarms in around 10 minutes, but other models will need to be reset manually.
Key Takeaway: Carbon monoxide alarms are easy to maintain and you shouldn’t have to reset them too often. Some may even reset their alarms automatically, and you’ll only need to handle the true issue at hand.
How to reset a carbon monoxide alarm
Resetting your carbon monoxide alarm is as simple as 1, 2, 3!
- Look on the front panel to find the reset button
- Press the reset button and hold it down for 5-10 seconds
- Let go of the reset button and listen for a beep from the model
Some carbon monoxide alarms also will flash a light in addition to the beep when it is reset. If there is no beep, try to reset the alarm again or change out the batteries.
How to test a carbon monoxide alarm
Testing and resetting carbon monoxide alarms go together like peanut butter and jelly. It also takes only three steps to test your alarm and takes less than a minute to complete!
- Find the test button on the front panel
- Press down on the test button until the alarm is triggered. This may take between 5 and 20 seconds
- Wait until you hear two short beeps, see a flash of light, or both depending on the model
If it still beeps after testing, press down on the test button again for 5-second intervals to stop the alarm until it has finished the testing process.
Troubleshooting
If your carbon monoxide alarm is going off, do NOT take any chances with your safety. Press the model’s reset button and get everyone out of the house immediately. You will need to contact your local emergency services to have them inspect the building.
No emergency? Here is what you can do to find out what triggered the alarm:
- Check on the battery, error codes, and age of your alarm
- Get rid of any false alarms, such as the alarm being too close to a furnace
- Reset your alarm
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FAQs
How often should I test my carbon monoxide alarm?
Your home’s carbon monoxide alarms should be tested every month, and the batteries should be changed out every 6 months.
Where does carbon monoxide come from?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a clear, odorless gas that is usually found in very small amounts in a home. This gas is produced by devices that burn fuel such as cars, fireplaces, stoves, and furnaces.
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