Beep, beep, beep …is it your alarm or your dishwasher?

Molly Busacca
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We live in a world full of beeps…horns, cell phones, toys and yes, even your household appliances will beep to let you know when their task is done, or if something is wrong. Everyone knows an alarm system beeps. It beeps when the power goes out, when your phone line is down, when the back up battery is down and for a few other “trouble conditions”. The beeping can be annoying, because it is designed to get your attention. We want your alarm system to work when it suppose to! The trouble condition, and the beeping, are designed to get your attention and deal with the issue.

The problem comes into play when your think the beeping is your alarm – and it isn’t!!! This can be extremely frustrating for homeowners and business owners. Typically, if it has to do with your alarm system there will be a trouble light on your keypad, and if you are monitored, the monitoring station will call you.The following are some of the most common “misunderstood beep” calls that we handle:

  1. Smoke Detector Beeps (if your smoke detectors are hooked into your alarm system there will be a trouble light on your keypad). This is a high pitched chirp that can only be stopped by cleaning the smoke detector or changing the battery – depending on the problem.
  2. Cell phone low battery.  Most of us know what that sounds like. However, we stil get calls when old cell phones finally start to die….
  3. Toys. Many toys will also make a chirp or beeping sound as they start to die.
  4. Pool alarm batteries. Oh boy. This is a funny one because many new homes are equpipped with loud, annoying door alarms designed to let people know if someone enters the backyard where a pool is located. We have found that people move in and promptly remove these alarms – and frequently stick them in a cupboard. You guessed it, as the battery wears down they start to beep.
  5. Appliances!! This is a new one for us but we have fielded two calls recently where the customer has a beep that they cannot locate….and it was because the dishwasher door had not been closed all the way! We have seen the same with the newer washing machines and dryers.

Let us know if your alarm is beeping and you don’t know what to do. But don’t be surprised if the beeping is not from the alarm system!!! Beep! Beep!

About Us

Headquartered in Bakersfield, CA with clients throughout Kern County, we are a full-service security systems integrator providing Smart Home Security, Burglar Alarms, Fire Systems, Video Surveillance, Access Control and 24/7 Alarm Monitoring.