Smoke Detectors
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Preventing False Alarms From the Smoke Detector
SimpliSafe's Smoke Detectors use photoelectric sensors, meaning they detect smoke through the distortion of a light beam inside the detector. Photoelectric smoke detectors will detect smoke faster than other detector types but can occasionally result in a false alarm. False alarms often occur when the device detects other particles in the air. Common false alarms are typically due to excess steam from a bathroom or kitchen, dust build up inside the sensor, or (rarely) a tiny bug finding its way inside.
You can prevent false alarms by cleaning the device once a month:
Make sure to remove the battery before cleaning
Open the cover and vacuum the dust off the sensing chamber at least once a month
Replace the battery after cleaning
Test the smoke detector to make sure the battery is working correctly
Vacuuming the device monthly should prevent dust or debris build-up, and is an especially good idea after you have experienced a false alarm. Also, make sure to install the smoke detectors away from anything that will produce steam. If you are having multiple false alarms and the tips described in this article didn't help, give our customer service line a call for assistance!
Additional Facts about our Smoke Detectors:
Wireless and battery powered with a CR123 battery
The test button is also the Silence button for a false alarm
Battery lasts 3-5 years
If a detector is tripped, only that detector and the base station will sound the alarm. Other smoke detectors will not alarm unless they also detect smoke
They are UL-268 certified
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Smoke Detectors
How SimpliSafe® Products Respond During an Alarm
SimpliSafe’s® Professional Monitoring protects your home or business across many types of alarms. Depending on your monitoring plan and alarm type, when an alarm is triggered, you’ll be notified through App Push Notifications or Alarm Text Messages. You’ll also be able to interact with our in-app Alarm Screen to cancel alarms or request help from emergency responders.
Alarm types are divided into four categories:
Burglary (Entry, Motion, Glassbreak, Panic Button, Duress)
SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection Alarms (Pro, Pro Plus plans only)
Life Safety (Fire and Carbon Monoxide)
Environmental (Water and Temperature Alerts)
If the system is disarmed within a few moments of the initial alarm signal, this will be considered a false alarm by our monitoring center. That means you will not receive a phone call, as we assume you are safe, and emergency services will not be requested to your location.
Entry Sensor, Motion Sensor, and Glassbreak Sensor
When your system is in an armed state (Home or Away mode) and one of these sensors is triggered, a countdown will begin unless you have configured Instant Trigger. The Entry Delay default is 30 seconds, but can be adjusted up to 4 minutes in the SimpliSafe® Mobile App. If you do not disarm your system before this entry countdown elapses, the alarm will sound and you will need to cancel the alarm in order to prevent the dispatch of emergency services.
Panic Button
When the button on the Panic Button, Key Fob, or Keypad is pressed for 2 seconds, it sends a notification to the monitoring center* that you require assistance at your location. Your Panic Button can be configured in several ways, which results in different scenarios that play out in the event of an alarm. Under all configurations - except Silent Alarm - you’ll receive an Alarm Text and a phone call to confirm the status of your location.
Please note that alarms triggered by Panic Buttons are not able to be cancelled via Alarm Text or the SimpliSafe® App in order to ensure your safety.
*The Panic Button will only alert the monitoring center of the emergency at your location when subscribed to a professional monitoring plan.
Duress
SimpliSafe® Security Systems are equipped to set up a Duress PIN that you can enter if you are being forced to put in your system information. This PIN type is for emergencies. If you enter the Duress PIN into your Smart Lock’s PIN Pad or Keypad, our monitoring team will request dispatch of emergency services immediately. You will not hear an alarm siren or get a phone call for your safety.
We hope you never have to use this feature, but it’s important to set it up and learn more about it to arm yourself with the knowledge to protect yourself. Please make sure the Duress PIN is uniquely different from your Master PIN to reduce the likelihood of entering it by mistake and receiving dispatch unintentionally.
When you pair your Outdoor Camera Series 2 with a Pro Plus or Pro Monitoring Plan, you’ll get access to SimpliSafe® Active Guard Outdoor Protection. Once you’ve enrolled your camera(s) and armed your system within your monitoring hours (24/7 for Pro Plus subscribers, 8pm-6am local time for Pro subscribers), your cameras will be on the lookout for intruders. When someone who does not match a Familiar Faces profile is seen on camera, our monitoring specialists will choose to engage with the individual through the camera’s two-way audio, and request dispatch to your location as necessary.
Smoke-Related Alarms
When the Smoke Detector or Smoke & CO Detector detects particulates consistent with smoke, or the Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm Listener hears your third-party smoke detector go off, it will sound the alarm to notify you of the potential hazard.
After the alarm has sounded, two things will happen at once, depending on your monitoring plan. The Primary Contact(s) of that location will receive an Alarm Text, and the first Primary Contact will receive a phone call from the monitoring center. Alarm Texts and push notification from the SimpliSafe® Mobile App for life safety events are only to alert you of the hazard, and cannot be used to cancel the alarm, disarm your system, or request dispatch.
Primary Contacts can cancel the alarm or request help from your local fire department for smoke over the phone without the need for your Safe Word. You can also cancel smoke alarms by disarming your system with your PIN at the Keypad.
If you do not answer the phone or cancel the alarm at your Keypad in a timely manner, our monitoring team will automatically request dispatch from your local fire department, who will be dispatched to the location address on file for your SimpliSafe® system.
Carbon Monoxide-Related Alarms
When the Carbon Monoxide Detector detects carbon monoxide, or the Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm Listener hears your third-party carbon monoxide detector go off, it will sound the alarm to notify you of the potential hazard.
After the alarm has sounded, the first Primary Contact will receive an Alarm Text and a phone call from the monitoring center. Alarm Texts and push notifications from the SimpliSafe® Mobile App for life safety events are only to alert you of the hazard, and cannot be used to cancel the alarm or request dispatch.
Note: Due to the serious and potentially life-threatening nature of carbon monoxide poisoning, there is no way to cancel carbon monoxide alarms. If a CO alarm is triggered, we will request dispatch to the location on file for your SimpliSafe® system.
Temperature Sensor
The Temperature Sensor will sound an alarm when it detects that the temperature within your home or business has gone above or below the temperature range that you set. This can help alert you to the potential hazard at hand, such as the potential for freezing pipes, or the cooling within your home no longer working during a heat wave.
When an alarm is triggered you will receive push notifications, Alarm Texts, and an automated phone call. The call is placed to the Primary Contact first, followed by the Secondary Contact in the event the Primary Contact does not answer. We do not request for dispatch to your system’s location for these alarms.
Water Sensor
The Water Sensor will sound an alarm when it detects water in its chamber. This could be the result of a small leak, or something more dangerous like flooding within your home or business.
When an alarm is triggered you will receive push notifications, Alarm Texts, and an automated phone call. The call is placed to the Primary Contact first, followed by the Secondary Contact in the event the Primary Contact does not answer. We do not request dispatch to your system’s location for these alarms.
Alarm Texts
Beyond disarming at the keypad, you also have the option to cancel the alarm or request dispatch of emergency services by Alarm Text. If you respond to the text with a C during the grace period, you won’t receive a call from our monitoring center.
You can also disarm your system via Alarm Texts after burglary alarms by replying back with “Disarm now” to the disarm text prompt. This is not case sensitive, so replying back with “disarm now” will also work. Disarming your system via Alarm Texts is a great way to ensure that subsequent alarms don’t occur while you work to get back to your home or business.
Alarm Texts for life safety events are only to alert you of the hazard, and cannot be used to cancel the alarm or request dispatch.
SimpliSafe® Mobile App
If you have alarm Push Notifications turned on, you will get a notification during an alarm that will take you to our Alarm Screen feature in the SimpliSafe® app where you can cancel your alarm (depending on the alarm type) or request help with the touch of a button.
If the alarm is not cancelled by any of the above methods within the grace period, the Primary Contacts will receive a call from our monitoring center. During this call you will be required to provide your Safe Word to the agent you speak with to cancel the alarm.
Please note: providing the wrong Safe Word, or no Safe Word, will result in a request for dispatch. You won’t be told you got it wrong to protect anyone who may be under duress. Additionally, missing the phone calls to your Primary Contacts will also result in a request for emergency services to the location that your system is registered to.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms Exception
Due to the potentially life threatening nature of carbon monoxide events, you are unable to cancel these alarms through any method and emergency services will be requested to your location.
We encourage you to save the monitoring center number to your phone.
That number is 855-693-4911.
Critical Alerts and Do Not Disturb Settings
Once saved to your phone, you’ll also want to allow us access to bypass Do Not Disturb and Silent Profiles. This allows for Critical Alarm Notifications to get through to you, regardless of your phone’s volume or profile status.
You can navigate each section below to learn more about how our products respond during these key alarm moments.
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Product Support
Malfunction Error
If you see a “Malfunctioned” error for your Smoke Detector, Carbon Monoxide Detector, or Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector, that means that the device should be replaced as soon as possible.
If your device is still within warranty, our Support team can send you a replacement.
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Smoke & CO Detector
Tamper Detected Error
You may encounter a constant yellow light that is not accompanied by a chirp on your Smoke Detector, CO Detector, or Smoke & CO Detector, or a blinking red light on your Smoke & CO Alarm Listener, accompanied by the app error “Tamper Detected”. This is an indication that the device is not fully attached to its bracket, and needs to be adjusted within its bracket to clear the error.
When placing your device back into its mounting bracket, make sure to twist it fully until you hear it snap into place. The warning light should stop immediately.
If you still see that light, it is possible that the mounting bracket itself may be screwed into your wall or ceiling too tightly, causing the plastic to warp slightly. It may help to unmount the unit and slightly loosen the screws. Then try mounting the detector again.
Once the device has been properly mounted, we recommend placing your system into Test Mode and testing your detector to ensure that it is working as intended. To place your system into Test Mode:
Locate your Keypad and press the Menu button
Enter your Primary PIN
Scroll until Test Mode is highlighted
Use the rocker and tap to the right to enter Test Mode
You’ll know you are in Test Mode when you see the circle on the Keypad, with the text “Test each device by pressing its button”.
Note: If you have monitoring, you will receive a robo call from the Monitoring Center asking you to confirm you have placed your system into Test Mode.
To test your device, hold down the TEST button on the device for about 1 second. Please note that pressing this button will invoke a loud chirp from your detector Smoke Detector, CO Detector, and Smoke & CO Detector - so be sure to protect your ears during this process. Your Base Station will also confirm the test was successful by announcing the product name.
To exit Test Mode, pick up your Keypad and use the rocker to press the Exit option on the screen.
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Smoke & CO Detector
Where to Place the Smoke Detector
You should place Smoke Detectors near sleeping areas and make sure that one is on every floor within your home. You can mount the Smoke Detector on a wall or ceiling. If mounting it to a wall, ensure that you have it no more than 12 inches from the ceiling.
To avoid false alarms, we recommend installing the Smoke Detector at least 10 feet away from any furnace, stove, or fireplace. Additionally, avoid placing it in a garage or in any bathroom with a shower, as dust, debris, and steam have the potential to trigger false alarms.
We also recommend cleaning your Smoke Detector once a month, to avoid false alarms and debris build-up.
*This product is designed for residential use. When used in a commercial environment, it should be supplementary to your existing smoke and/or CO detectors and not your sole detector(s).
In accordance with National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) guidance, SimpliSafe® recommends replacing your Smoke Detector within ten (10) years of the manufacture date (found on the label on the back of your device).
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Smoke Detectors
Low Sensitivity Error
If you see the “Low Sensitivity" error for the Smoke Detector, Carbon Monoxide Detector, or Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector, that indicates that you need to clean your device so it can detect properly.
To Clean the Device:
Twist the detector counterclockwise to remove it from its bracket
Remove a battery from the device to ensure it is not receiving power
Use your vacuum cleaner’s soft bristle brush to remove any dust buildup
Put the battery back into the device and place it back on its mounting bracket
Vacuuming the device monthly should prevent any dust/debris from building up, and can prevent the Low Sensitivity error from occurring. Never use water-based products to clean the Smoke and/or CO Detector, as this can damage the device.
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Smoke & CO Detector