Smoke detectors have a service life of 10 years, after which they should be replaced regardless of whether they appear to be functioning. CO detectors have a service life of five to seven years. In Centennial homes from the 1980s and 1990s, original hardwired detector systems may be at or well past this threshold, and the interconnection wiring may have issues that prevent the full system from functioning correctly when one detector activates.

WireNut installs hardwired smoke and CO detectors in Centennial homes, tests interconnection to confirm that activating one detector triggers all others, and handles any wiring issues in existing systems. For homes upgrading to combination smoke and CO units, we handle the full swap. Our electrical wiring team handles any interconnection wiring issues found during installation. See all Centennial electrical services.

• Hardwired smoke detector replacement for units that are past their 10-year service life or have failed and need to be swapped out.
• CO detector installation in Centennial homes with gas appliances, attached garages, or any combustion source where CO risk is present.
• Combination smoke and CO detector installation to upgrade existing single-function detectors to combination units.
• Interconnection system testing and repair to confirm that triggering one detector activates all others in the home.
• New hardwired detector installation for rooms or areas of the home that currently lack smoke or CO detection coverage.

Here are the smoke and CO detector projects our Centennial electricians handle most often.

How Often Should Smoke Detectors Be Replaced in My Centennial Home?

The National Fire Protection Association recommends replacing smoke detectors every 10 years and CO detectors every five to seven years. The sensors inside detectors degrade over time and become less responsive to smoke, even if the detector passes a button test. A detector that chirps when you press the test button is confirming that the alarm circuit works, not that the smoke sensor is still within its rated sensitivity range.

In Centennial homes built in the 1980s and 1990s, original hardwired detectors that have never been replaced are overdue for replacement. WireNut can replace the detector heads on existing hardwired systems or replace the full system if the wiring has issues that need to be corrected at the same time.

Why Is My Hardwired Smoke Detector Chirping in My Centennial Home?

A hardwired smoke detector that chirps intermittently is usually signaling a low backup battery, a detector that has reached end of life, or a wiring issue in the interconnection circuit. Hardwired detectors have a battery backup that powers them during outages, and this battery needs to be replaced periodically just like a battery-only detector. If replacing the battery does not stop the chirping, the detector itself may be past its service life and should be replaced.

If multiple detectors are chirping or the chirping changes character, it may indicate a wiring issue in the interconnection circuit rather than an individual detector problem. WireNut can diagnose the cause and replace or repair as needed.