Fire Alarm Keeps Alarming

My wife and I bought a new construction house in July '09. We have a fire alarm system that is wired throughout the house to six different fire alarms.

About 2 months ago at approximately 3 a.m., the fire alarm just starts going off. I jump out of bed from a dead sleep, then the alarm just goes silent.

My thoughts start running wild, thinking the only way the alarm can be turned off is by pushing the button on the alarm. So my initial thought is that someone is in the house. I immediately start looking through the house, checking all doors, closets, showers, etc. I found nothing.

Tonight, just about 20 min. ago, the fire alarm starts sounding again. Twenty seconds after it starts alarming, it turns off by itself. I check the house again, nothing, no smoke whatsoever.

I just checked all the batteries (tongue test) and hit the test button on all six alarms. They all seem to be working fine. Any ideas on what could be causing this?

 

You Have one that is faulty. Those things are actually very sensative. If you get some dust, saw dust, moisture,etc. In them It can actually cause them to alarm then reset. I had to learn that the hard way after months of no sleep. Obviously I can't say for certain but that's what happened to me.

 

How did you fix your's? Replace all the alarms? Blow the dust out with that electronic can of air stuff?

 

I tried cleaning all of them with air but it didn't work. I bought a new detector and replaced it at different locations until I found the culprit. This was not my idea but had a friend that does Construction in homes and commercial and what he suggested. Trust me, many sleepless nights....no fun.

 

Can I ask one thing, dose the detector wired to a AFCI circuit breakers in the panel?
Also please change out all six devices, it is cheap at homedepot, buy the Kidde brand. They last longer than the other.

 

It does not have it's own circuit breaker.

 

I know it is not own there circuit breaker, but is it on a AFCI circuit breaker?

 

I am assuming it is a combined smoke and carbon monoxide detector? Hyper sensitive. One should go off before the others do. Even the ammonia from a cats litter box can set them off. Most likely faulty if you can't identify which one is going off try rotating them.

 

i don't know what an afci circuit breaker is.