Quick answer
A loud, repeating pattern of beeps is an emergency alarm: get everyone out and call 911. A single short chirp every 30 to 60 seconds usually means a low battery, and a chirp that keeps going after a new battery usually means the alarm is at end of life and must be replaced. If a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm sounds, go outside and call 911 or the FortisBC Emergency Line at 1-800-663-9911 (24 hours).
A beeping smoke or CO alarm is telling you something. The key is knowing whether you hear an alarm (danger now) or a chirp (the device needs attention). This guide explains the difference, how to stop a chirp safely, and the rules for Surrey homes and rentals.
Beep patterns below come from First Alert and Kidde support pages, checked September 25, 2026. Patterns differ by model, so check your manual.
Alarm or chirp? How to tell
An alarm is loud and keeps repeating. A chirp is one short, high sound (or a small group of sounds) about once a minute or every 30 seconds.
| What you hear | What it means | Brand source |
|---|---|---|
| 3 loud beeps, pause, repeating | Smoke or fire. Get out now. | First Alert |
| Loud, continuous alarm sound | Smoke detected. It continues until the air clears. | Kidde smoke alarm |
| 4 loud beeps, pause, repeating | High CO level. Get out now. | First Alert and Kidde CO alarms (Kidde: 5 seconds of silence between groups) |
| 1 chirp about once a minute | Low battery | First Alert smoke and CO alarms |
| 1 chirp every 30 to 60 seconds | Low battery | Kidde smoke alarm (at least 7 days) |
| 1 chirp every 60 seconds | Low battery | Kidde CO alarm |
| 3 chirps about once a minute | Malfunction | First Alert |
| 5 chirps about once a minute | End of life: replace the alarm | First Alert |
| 1 chirp every 30 seconds | End of life (sealed-battery smoke alarms and CO alarms) or a malfunction | Kidde |
Safety: If you are not sure whether it is a chirp or an alarm, treat it as an alarm. Get everyone out first and check later. Never take the battery out of a sounding alarm to make it stop.
What to do if the CO alarm goes off
Carbon monoxide has no colour, smell or taste. Early symptoms can feel like flu without a fever. FortisBC says to do this if your CO alarm goes off or you suspect CO:
- Turn off your appliances if you can do it quickly.
- Get everyone, including pets, out of the building.
- Call 911 or the FortisBC Emergency Line at 1-800-663-9911 (24 hours).
- Get medical help for anyone with symptoms.
Do not go back inside until responders say it is safe. FortisBC says it investigates all possible CO problems and will tell you when it is safe to return.
First Alert and Kidde both say that if the alarm sounds again within 24 hours, repeat the steps and have a qualified appliance technician check your fuel-burning appliances. Also make sure no vehicle is or was running in an attached garage.
Safety: CO is not the same as natural gas. If you smell rotten eggs, that may be a gas leak. Go outside first, then call 1-800-663-9911 or 911.
How to stop a low-battery chirp
- Find the right alarm. First Alert notes the chirp may come from a different device, such as a CO alarm or a security system.
- Put in a new battery of the type listed on the alarm. First Alert says removing the battery or unplugging the alarm will not stop a low-battery chirp. Kidde says to use a battery with a use-by date four to five years or more away.
- Check the fit. Make sure the battery faces the right way, is snapped in fully, and the battery door is closed. First Alert also says to check that any pull-tab is removed and the alarm is twisted fully onto its mounting bracket.
- Reset the alarm if it still chirps. Kidde says an alarm can "remember" a weak battery. For a battery-only unit: remove the battery, press and hold the test button for at least 15 seconds, then put the battery back. For a hardwired unit, turn off the breaker first, disconnect the alarm, remove the battery, hold the test button for 15 seconds, then reconnect everything.
- Test the alarm by pressing the test button.
Kidde explains why chirps often start at night: homes are coolest between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., and a weak battery delivers less power when it is cold. The chirp may stop when the house warms up, but the battery still needs replacing.
If a hardwired alarm keeps chirping after a new battery and a reset, First Alert and Kidde both list wiring problems as a possible cause. Call an electrician.
End-of-life signals and when to replace
Every alarm wears out. An end-of-life chirp will not stop with a new battery.
- Smoke alarms: replace every 10 years. Surrey Fire Services, the Province of BC and First Alert all say this. It applies to hardwired alarms too.
- CO and combination smoke/CO alarms: Kidde says replace every 7 years. Technical Safety BC says every 7 to 10 years. Follow the date on your alarm's label.
- Kidde warns that its CO alarms will not respond to carbon monoxide once they are in end-of-life mode.
- Check the manufacture date on the back of each alarm. Kidde says if you do not know an alarm's age, replace it.
The Province of BC says you can drop off broken or expired smoke and CO alarms for free at more than 200 recycling locations in BC (productcare.org/alarms). Surrey says smoke alarms do not go in curbside recycling.
Smoke alarm rules in Surrey and BC
The City of Surrey and a provincial Smoke Alarm Bulletin say that, under the BC Fire Code, all dwellings must be protected by smoke alarms. The bulletin adds:
- Homeowners must install and maintain smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas.
- Homes built after the 1979 building code changes need hardwired, interconnected smoke alarms. When you replace them, use the same type or better.
- Surrey Fire Services says: test once a month, change batteries every six months in battery-powered alarms, and replace alarms every 10 years.
Renting in BC: landlord and tenant duties
The Residential Tenancy Branch's Policy Guideline 1 says the landlord must install and keep smoke alarms in good working condition. This includes a yearly inspection, yearly cleaning and testing, and replacing batteries at least once a year and as the maker says.
The tenant must not disable an alarm by removing batteries or putting in dead or wrong-size ones. The tenant must tell the landlord when an alarm needs new batteries or seems to need repair or replacement.
CO alarm rules in BC
Technical Safety BC says a CO alarm in a rental suite is "not required by law in all BC communities" but is strongly recommended. Renters can buy their own battery or plug-in alarm if the landlord will not install one. Landlords must have all gas appliances inspected and serviced every year by a licensed contractor under the Gas Safety Regulation.
Technical Safety BC is running a public consultation on "exploring options for requiring carbon monoxide (CO) alarms if using a gas appliance" in houses, apartments, hotels and other residential buildings. Its consultation page says feedback is open from August 25 to October 2, 2026. After that, it will publish a report and then its final decision. No new CO alarm rule was in place as of September 25, 2026.
Where to put CO alarms: the Province of BC says every home with a fuel-burning appliance, attached garage or fireplace should have one. Put one on every level and outside each sleeping area, at least 15 feet (about 4.5 m) from fuel-burning appliances.
Free smoke alarm help in Surrey
If you live in a single-family home, duplex or townhouse in Surrey and do not have working smoke alarms, Surrey Fire Services can install a free battery-powered smoke alarm. You can also ask for a free HomeSafe inspection. Firefighters check your alarms, give safety tips and install a new alarm if yours do not work. Request it with the online form on surrey.ca (a Punjabi form is also available). If you have trouble with the form, call Fire Prevention at 604-543-6780.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my smoke detector beeping every 30 seconds?
For many models this is a low battery. On Kidde sealed-battery alarms, a chirp every 30 seconds means end of life. Replace the battery first. If it keeps chirping, replace the alarm.
Why does my alarm still chirp after I changed the battery?
The alarm may still "remember" the old battery, the battery may not be seated fully, or the alarm may be at end of life. Try the reset above. If it still chirps, replace the alarm.
My CO alarm is beeping 4 times. What does that mean?
On First Alert and Kidde CO alarms, 4 loud beeps repeating means a high CO level. Get everyone outside and call 911 or FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911.
Can I just take the battery out to stop the chirping?
No. A dead alarm cannot warn you, and First Alert says it will not stop a low-battery chirp anyway. In a rental, tenants must not leave batteries out.
Who changes smoke alarm batteries in a BC rental?
RTB Policy Guideline 1 says the landlord must replace batteries at least once a year, and the tenant must tell the landlord when an alarm needs batteries or repair.
Official sources
- Carbon monoxide safety — FortisBC
- Carbon Monoxide Safety — Technical Safety BC
- 2025 Gas Code Adoption and CO Alarm Requirements consultation — Technical Safety BC
- Carbon monoxide safety — Province of British Columbia
- HomeSafe Program & Smoke Alarms — City of Surrey
- Request a Free Smoke Alarm or HomeSafe Inspection — City of Surrey
- Smoke Alarm Bulletin — Office of the Fire Commissioner, Emergency Management BC
- Policy Guideline 1: Landlord & Tenant Responsibility for Residential Premises — Residential Tenancy Branch
- Alarm Beeps: What does the Horn sound like? — First Alert
- Troubleshoot Alarm Chirping — First Alert
- Troubleshoot Chirping on CO Alarms — First Alert
- What Causes Consistent Chirping? — Kidde
- What Causes Intermittent Beeping or Chirping? — Kidde
- Why Do Smoke Alarms Always Chirp in the Middle of the Night? — Kidde
- Why Is My Carbon Monoxide Alarm Beeping or Chirping? — Kidde
- What Should I Do When My Carbon Monoxide Alarm Sounds? — Kidde
General information only, not professional advice. Rules and prices change, so check the official sources above before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.