What is this device in my ceiling that started chirping like a smoke detector last evening?
There is a button on it that says "test / silence". Unfortunately, there are several layers of floorboard in my attic so I can't figure out what it is wired to. I've actually installed a set of Nest Protect smoke detectors, so if it is a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector I won't need it and it can be removed, but I would like to know what this is and how to remove.
It's a smoke detector made by First Alert. It's sold by Lowe's and others. It's hardwired, hence the wires. The chirping means that the backup battery is low.
You could remove it, but there's no harm in leaving it there and just replacing the backup battery. The problem with Nest and other products like that is that they become obsolete rather quick, depend on an active Internet connection, etc., while a regular smoke detector has one job and does that job well. In my own home, I have 4 Nest thermostats and have had to replace 3 of them in the last 3 years. I would not trust a Nest product with something as important as smoke detection.
Also, if the Nest smoke detector is battery-powered, your jurisdiction might not allow you to replace hardwired detectors with battery-powered. Check with your local fire chief.
In the UK smoke detectors (and heat detectors in kitchens) are required to be replaced after ten years and are sold with expiry dates. The chirps from a depleted backup battery are the same.
