How To Unplug First Alert Smoke Alarm? – All You Need to Know

How to unplug First Alert smoke alarm? Some people find it challenging to remove smoke alarms, especially hardwired models.

Unplugging a battery smoke alarm requires you to locate the battery and safely disconnect it. You will need even more caution when disconnecting the wires for hardwired smoke alarms.

If you want to learn how to disconnect any First Alert smoke alarm, keep reading. We will help you prepare for any replacement or fixing situation.

How To Unplug First Alert Smoke Alarm? – Guide

Sometimes you need to unplug your First Alert smoke alarm. For example, it might be that its battery is low and you must replace it.

Further, it might malfunction, and you need to unplug it to examine it.

In any situation, some smoke alarm manuals are not very clear on how you can unplug them.

Some people face even more trouble with hardwired models.

Fortunately, in the sections below, we will teach you how to take care of your First Alert smoke alarm.

Method #1: Unplugging Battery Smoke Alarms

It is important to note that this method does not apply to hardwired First Alert smoke alarms. 

The first is to deactivate the smoke alarm by using the power switch on the back of the device.

Another option is to take off the battery cover and unplug the battery’s cables.

Locate The Battery

Getting to the alarm’s battery compartment may be done in different ways. In certain cases, the position of the battery compartment will be marked clearly on a label. 

An alternative is to search for a little opening underneath or rear of the alarm.

Three screws hold the battery compartment in place, which you must loosen.

You should take out the smoke alarm’s battery before turning it off. You’ll need to pull off the lid using a flathead screwdriver to get to the battery. 

1. Pull the lid
2. Disconnect the batteries
3. Examine for any issues

To take the alarm off its bracket, turn it counterclockwise. If twisting the alarm doesn’t cause it to detach from the bracket, you may need to disconnect the locking pin.

The alarm system’s battery should be changed whenever it begins to chirp a low battery warning, which is when you often replace the battery in your clock. 

You may swap the battery in your alarm with one from any brand.

Clean The Device

If your smoke detector runs on batteries and you are unplugging it to examine it, you may as well clean it by following these steps:

1. Remove the battery cover first.
2. Take the power cord out of the wall.
3. Clean the alarm by wiping it down with a moist cloth.
4. Reconnect the power cord and put the battery cover back on.

Press the “test” button to ensure the alarm is working properly. If the alarm sounds, replace the device. 

Replacing The Smoke Alarm

Suppose you need to replace your home’s smoke alarm system. In that case, hardwired smoke alarms are the best option despite the extra installation labor they demand. 

You won’t have to deal with the obnoxious “chirping” of a battery-powered smoke detector.

Plus, everyone in the house will know of a fire thanks to the interconnectivity of hardwired smoke detectors.

On the other hand, let’s say you truly want to keep a smoke alarm that runs on battery.

In that case, your best bet is going for lithium batteries that last up to 10 years. 

Note: Keep the smoke alarm in a secure location, out of reach of dogs and kids

Method #2: Unplugging Hard Wired Smoke Detectors

Smoke alarms that are hardwired into a building’s electrical system will continue to alert residents to potential danger until the power is off. 

They often have battery backups in case the power goes out, so they can keep working. 

However, when they stop working for good or show any problems, you will need to unplug them and check what is wrong.

Smoke alarms that need stable wiring (“hardwired“) are no different from any other electronic gadget. They are ineffective if not maintained or fixed from time to time.

Many consider unplugging them to check or replace them a challenging role.

As a result, most homeowners ask the question, “how to unplug hard wired first alert smoke alarm?”. 

It turns out that doing that is possible. The only way to shut down the hardwired smoke alarm for good is to remove the battery. 

Take Care With Hardwired Alarms

A fundamental understanding of electricity is necessary for working with this system.

In addition, because of the extensive wiring throughout your home, you must take special care with the sensors, which are easily broken.

There are a total of three strands of wire inside the alarm. The AC 120 V electricity required by the hardwired smoke detector is supplied via black and white cables.

The third wire, a red one, links the detector to the home’s power supply. Every smoke detector in the home will go off if one goes off.

A hardwired smoke alarm requires being wired into the electrical system.

First, turn off the power to the area using the circuit breaker and use a tester on the wires before touching them. 

Unplugging The Smoke Alarm

Here’s how to unplug a smoke alarm that’s hardwired in:

1. Remove the wires apart from the detector 
2. Check if there is no electricity still running
3. Use a tester to confirm 
4. Unscrew the screw that holds it in place
5. Take the detector from the wall or ceiling by
6. Slide the screws over the holes in the plate
7. Remove the mounting plate

In this instance, you may leave the screws in place and attach the new device without removing the old ones.

It keeps the holes exposed so you can paint right over them. 

Compared to a hardwired detector, you can swap a battery-operated one more quickly. 

A hardwired detector’s electrical components make replacement harder, but it’s still possible with the correct equipment and extra care.

What Else You Should Pay Attention To

In addition, bugs and dust in the detector’s electronics might be a source of power surges inside the connected systems, which would account for one of the failures. 

Another problem that might cause the AC/DC alarm to chirp is improper wiring, such as failing to ground the connection cable.

As its name implies, an interconnect cable is used to link devices that are compatible with one another but must not be grounded.

Alert: Do not leave the wires exposed; tuck them into the hole if you will not be placing the detector right away

What We Learned

How to unplug First Alert smoke alarm? If that looks challenging, there is no need to worry further. Unplugging any smoke alarm is easy as long as you know how it works.

Hardwired smoke alarms will need you to be very careful when handling the wiring.

Battery alarms are a bit easier to detach for fixing or replacement purposes.