‎Smoke Detector False Alarms | SimpliSafe Support Home
 

5 Messages

Monday, May 16th, 2022 7:19 PM

Smoke Detector False Alarms

We have three smoke detectors and one has been so bad about falsely alarming that we had to remove it from the system. SimpliSafe has failed to learn from and improve their own systems and technology. 

they will soon go the way of Sears, Montgomery Ward, and K-mart

This post was created from this comment on different post

Official Response

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

3 years ago

I sincerely apologize for your experience, @perkinsab . Our Support time might have already gone through this with you, but the way that the Smoke Detector works is that it triggers when microscopic particles enter a detection chamber. Of course, it's meant to look out for smoke particles, but it could be literally anything that is small enough to be able to get in there - steam or water vapor, dust, even possibly small insects. But something getting in the chamber is the only way that the sensor can trigger. So when we troubleshoot, we typically suggest examining where it's installed; for example, we wouldn't have it placed in a hallway in front of a bathroom, near a vent, or anywhere that can get very dusty - like a garage or basement.

From your second comment, it sounds like you've been having trouble with other sensors as well. If you would like, our community can help with troubleshooting for them as well.

1 Message

You’re lucky you can tell which detector is going off. Ours keep going off and the software doesn’t even register the alert. I’m ready to disconnect all the smoke detectors and send them back. It is infuriating to be told your house is burning down at 1 in the morning and the “smart” system neither pings my phone to say where the fire is nor registers in the software which device detects an emergency. 

(edited)

5 Messages

@davey_d​ it’s been years trying to get SimpliSafe to fix their problems… I’ve given up; concluded SimpliSafe will be bankrupt and on the past companies in America like Sears, K-mart, woolworths, studebaker …

simpliSafe will soon be a memory. And it’s all because they wouldn’t listen to their customers 

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@davey_d​ 

I believe the response from the official Simplisafe admin person meant to say 

“our support team” not support time…

5 Messages

3 years ago

You were lied to by SimpliSafe.  Our second home has none of the causes cited by SimpliSafe to cause false alarms and we’ve had dozens of false alarms. The don’t care. In fact, they like it when the system false-alarms so you think it is “working”… if it never triggered, they think you’d not feel like you were getting anything for your money. 
After 11 false alarms, the police at our second home stopped responding. Since then, we’ve had a break-in that the police wouldnt respond-to BECAUSE SimpliSafe cried wolf too many times. SimpliSafe doesn’t seem to care one bit. 

I’m looking for a better system that actually helps secure the house and property … I’m convinced SimpliSafe will never rise to the challenge. 

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@perkinsab​ Ditto. We have a second home and had never had problems until the "next gen" update was installed. Now we constantly have false alarms. Even installed a new smoke detector nearby to act as a backup. Same problem. We have followed all recommendations by Simplisafe support. I used to recommend this company family and friends. I can no longer do that.     

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We’ve had SimpliSafe since 2013 and all six of the false alarms were with the latest system. They usually go off in the middle of the night and wake us and the kids in a panic. 

Customer service apologized. I originally decided a replacement because we’ve already replaced three of them and that doesn’t seem to work. The representative stated they now have an updated version so I agreed. Turns out it’s the EXACT SAME MODEL. Just straight up lied to me to avoid me canceling the monitoring service. 

Community Admin

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3.4K Messages

@valbobal​ I'm sorry to hear this. We did release a new Smoke & Carbon Monoxide detector in May - is the device you received pictured below? If not, the wrong item must have been shipped by mistake.

If that's the case, our Support team can get that straightened out for you and send you the proper device. This article in our Help Center also addresses preventing false alarms with the Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector. 

10 Messages

@emily_s​  Do you have an exchange program for these new sensors that work properly

Community Admin

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3.4K Messages

@exmann70​ We currently do not have a program that allows you to turn in a Smoke Detector for a Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector. Are you experiencing false alarms with your current Smoke Detector? If you are, this Help Center article provides tips on preventing them.

1 Message

2 years ago

Same here. Two false alarms at 3 am and another today at 6 pm.  Seems to be defective battery is reported as good in the app.

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7 months ago

Two different smoke detectors - randomly just go off.  Customer Service said they are ultra sensitive to dust.  Not a speck of dust on the units.   Told me I have to clean the unit monthly.   Seriously that is ridiculous……let’s blame the customer for our faulty designed product. Smoke detectors were invented in 1902 - they should detect smoke not anything else.   I have 4 smoke detectors  and a big investment in this Simplisafe system.  I now have to remove these smoke detectors from my system - once I could chalk it up to maybe a fluke - now twice plus all these others comments having  the same issues.   Last time  they dispatched the fire department at 1 am - because I didn’t pick up the phone soon enough as I was disoriented being asleep.  I regret the day I bought Simplisafe.  This seems like a product liability case in the making - I intend on speaking to an attorney about getting my money back on the entire system.  My other home has a Ring system - and it has not ever gone off randomly. You would think they would have fixed this by now.  Shame on you Simplisafe - the smoke alarm is the most important safety feature of my system and you’ve failed on this front miserably.    

10 Messages

@dawnjaffray​ 

Exactly what they told me. Guess who has smoke detectors that work. Google nest! Unbelievable good product. It runs tests and texts you before if you want to cancel. I had to turn my SimpliSafe detectors off because the fire dept came to many times. 
I think there needs to be a class action law suit tbh.

Someone’s going to turn them off and their house will burn down. Everyone I know that has SimpliSafe say the same thing. 
if I hadn’t invested in all the sensors of have left by now. Still thinking about it. 

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Thanks for the Nest recommendation. I just removed all of my smoke detectors from my SimpliSafe system. Perhaps time to move to another service provider altogether. 

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7 months ago

False smoke detector went off three times and I ended up removing it from my device settings, this is the second device that I have problems with the smoke detector from simplesafe, the first device’s False alarm ended up with the fire department at my home as I was driving up the the house, good thing I was able to let the firemen in to check for fire without having to break down the front door. Don’t plan on getting another smoke detector from simplesafe, can’t trust it to protect your home.

1 Message

6 months ago

Multiple false alarms on ONE smoke detector out of SEVEN (plus 2 smoke/CO detectors so 9 total). If the alarms jumped from sensor to sensor, I'd believe it was dust. If it was an insect, I'd expect it to trigger the alarm more frequently. No steam or water vapor in a bedroom.

1 Message

6 months ago

I do not have any smoke/co detectors. Zero. Early this AM 2:30ish the system announced “fire, fire, fire” twice.  I jumped up to investigate and nothing. Texted SS and they found no record.  I repeat I do NOT have any smoke/co sensors. WTF? 

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@markdcreedon​ the're also no voice prompt from our devices that says "fire, fire, fire". Our Fire Alarms would be a full siren alarm. Do you perhaps have other non-SimpliSafe devices that could produce that audio?

(edited)

3 Messages

5 months ago

I bought simplisafe system to replace my prior un-monitored system.    I have lived in my home for 25 years.    I have had 4 generations of Smoke detection in the years I have owned the home, some professional systems, some un-monitored "Smart" detectors.

The simplisafe system was purchased to return to a professionally monitored environement, but the smoke detectors may as well just be called 'Cooking Detectors'.     They constantly false alarm when cooking even though not located near the kitchen.    BBQ on the front porch set this thing off simply because a little BBQ smoke entered the house.    I mean The door was open long enough for me to walk through it and the smoke detector is on the other side of the room.    

I have had my smoke detectors located in the exact same locations for the last 25 years, and this is the only system that was constantly false alarming.    I am currently trying to determine what to change to, because I just can't handle this any more.    

I spoke with customer support, and they confirmed my only choice is to replace the system.    So Pissed, because this system was not cheap, but hopefully I can off load the entire system for cheap just to recoup some of the cost.  

Captain

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6.2K Messages

5 months ago

I have six of the original SS3 smoke sensors and purchased one of the new smoke/co for testing. All have performed perfectly (originals) since installed in 2017 and I clean them every other month with a can of compressed air (buy it by the case at Costco) and takes under 10 minutes for all.  For full disclosure, on my SS2 system I initially did not read the manual and got two false alarms, and then taking action on my wife's advice to RTDM (read the damn manual) I cleaned them monthly, then bi-monthly with no issues.

Of the 30+ systems placed, on one occasion with a SS2 system my friends son had a unit replaced twice, both malfunctioned and I was asked to get involved. The 3rd was fine and this was in 2014 with a SS2 unit.

If you are getting false alarms, call support and ask to be escalated to a technical specialist, even if a callback is required. There are dozens of SS3 systems with smoke sensors that I know very well that work with no issues. Believe me, if there were, my phone would be ringing non stop.

3 Messages

I wish I had your success rate, but I have not.

I have never done the canned air thing, but I DID replace the smoke detector with a brand new in box unit.    I bought 8 for the entire house and only deployed 4 or 5.    Considering that it may be a defective detector I pulled a new one out and put it into service.    False alarm a week later making bacon.

I can appreciate that it is detecting something,  put a photoelectric detector should be pretty good at sensing smoke vs. steam and cooking vapors.   This system quickly became the smoke detector that cried wolf. 

Finally ( and this is not as much a simplisafe issue as it is a living in 2024 issue ) we do not have a landline phone.    So If the system goes off when I am not home, the call is going to my cell phone because it is the primary number, but I am not home so how do I know if the house is burning down?    

For now I have purchased all new First Alert Zwave detecors monitred by my smartthings hub.   Not the perfect solution, but 2 weeks without a false alarm is a good start.

3 Messages

5 months ago

I have had 6 false alarms in about two years.  I have replaced the unit a number of times.  I use canned air to clear any dust every month (it is not in a dusty area).  I have an old fashioned Home Depot detector on the same wall (not connected to a service). It never goes off as a false alarm. 

I am likely going to switch to another company as this is becoming stressful and annoying (this week I had to rush home from work to meet the fire department!)

3 Messages

5 months ago

We have had Simplisafe about two year. We have had 6 false alarms with the smoke detector and have replaced the device multiple times and verified the position as well. I used compressed air monthly to clean the area of dust (it is not dusty) and my other smoke detectors that are not linked with the service, never have false alarms.  One is just a few feet away.  I am about to switch to another company because the stress and hassle is tough.  I had to rush home from work this week to meet the fire department for a false alarm!!  I have not had bad tech support and the folks are nice, but I think they have faulty equipment as this shouldn't happen repeatedly.  

Community Admin

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3.4K Messages

@rlsham58​ I'm sorry to hear this! I see that you have already gotten in touch with our Support team, and it looks like they're helping to provide some extra troubleshooting steps to get to the bottom of this, like adjusting the placement of the Smoke Detector.

The Smoke Detector uses a photoelectric sensor which detects smoke through the distortion of a light beam inside the detector. So cleaning it monthly to remove any potential dust or debris can help prevent false alarms from occurring, but the placement of the Smoke Detector is important as well. For example, we wouldn't recommend placing the Smoke Detector right outside a bathroom since the excess steam could trigger a false alarm.

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I had placed it in a location that I reviewed extensively with the staff there and felt it would be the perfect spot.  I now have moved it to a ceiling location and if there is another false alarm I will need to discard the whole system as it is too stressful to deal with this situation.

1 Message

4 months ago

I just removed our smoke detectors from our system because of false alarms. I feel so badly that police and fire are dispatched and literally nothing is happening at my home - and always in the middle of the night. My fear is that they will not respond when there is an actual emergency. I wish there was some sort of verification before dispatch. Now I need to look into new systems - so disappointing. 

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4 months ago

same here and the customer service is the worst.

1 Message

3 months ago

I like how they don’t reply to the complaints 

7 Messages

6 days ago

Smoke detector triggered at 4:50am today at my 2nd/rental home, which is closed for the winter. This happened one year ago as well (could the smoke detectors be affected by temperature, I have to wonder...?), at which time I purchased two cameras that I set up in the off season so I can see what's going on. No smoke, nothing happening. I also learned last year that I am unable to shut the alarm remotely, nor can customer service. This is unacceptable, as I'm unable to manage the system as I need to. So:

1. The smoke detector false alarm issue needs to be resolved.

2. In the absence of #1, the ability to disable the alarm remotely needs to be made available, even if only for your customer service, should they need to first verify that indeed there is no fire.

Captain

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6.2K Messages

@tjlepore I read your post several times and I am a bit confused.  On #2, if you are on a monitoring plan you should get a call, from the monitoring station, as a primary contact, and be able to cancel the alarm and prevent dispatch.  Just looked up an article in the help section to confirm.  If I am wrong on this, SS, please post on this thread.

As far as prevention, I clean all of my smoke and Co sensors bimonthly with a can of compressed air. SS directs monthly but after 8 yeas I have found bimonthly sufficient.

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