Electrical service
Smoke and CO detector installation in Malden, MA
Hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that are linked together: when one sounds, all of them sound, on every floor.
- Fully insured
- Malden, MA and towns within 50 miles
A hardwired alarm takes its power from the house wiring and keeps a battery as backup for outages. Interconnected alarms talk to each other, so a fire in the basement wakes someone sleeping on the top floor.
Alarms also age. The sensor inside wears out, and every alarm has its manufacture date printed on the back. A smoke alarm is meant to be replaced ten years after that date.
What is included
- Old alarms replacedExpired or failing hardwired alarms replaced with new ones, with the connectors and mounting plates they need.
- New hardwired alarmsAlarms added in bedrooms, hallways and on each level, wired to power and to each other.
- InterconnectionAlarms linked so that one sounding sets off all of them.
- Carbon monoxide alarmsCO alarms or combination smoke and CO units, placed near the bedrooms and on each level.
- Chirping and false alarmsAlarms that chirp or go off for no reason are checked for battery, age, dust or a wiring problem.
- Fully insured
- Background checked
- 5.0 on Thumbtack · 54 reviews
- Electrician since 2020
Signs you need this
It is time to look at your alarms when you notice one of these.
- The date on the back of a smoke alarm is more than ten years old.
- An alarm keeps chirping after you put in a new battery.
- The alarms have yellowed with age.
- One alarm sounds and the others stay silent.
- A bedroom or a level of the house has no alarm.
How I work
- Step 1Count and photographTell me how many alarms you have, where they are and the date on the back of one. A photo of an alarm taken off its base helps.
- Step 2I plan the locationsI check which alarms are hardwired and linked, and where one is missing.
- Step 3I install and testEach alarm is mounted and connected. Then I run a test to confirm that all of them sound together.
Common questions
What is the difference between hardwired and battery alarms?
A battery alarm runs only on its battery. A hardwired alarm is powered by the house wiring, keeps a backup battery for outages and can be linked to the other alarms so that all of them sound together.
Why does my alarm keep chirping?
A short chirp every minute or so usually means the backup battery is low. If a new battery does not stop it, the alarm may be at the end of its life or have dust in the sensor. Check the date on the back.
Do smoke alarms expire?
Yes. A smoke alarm should be replaced ten years after the manufacture date printed on its back. CO alarms also have a limited life, which the manufacturer prints on the unit.
I am selling my house. Do the alarms matter?
Yes. In Massachusetts the local fire department checks the smoke and CO alarms before the sale of a home closes, and what it asks for depends on when the house was built. Ask your fire department for its requirements and I install what is on the list.
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