Smoke Detector Mystery

I had a really strange thing happen with my smoke alarm...can't figure it out.

My stove has been going 24/7 since October with no issues.
Two weeks ago we had a snow storm that ended in the late evening. The next morning around 4:30 am my smoke alarm went off. The alarm is mounted in the stairway leading to basement where the stove is. Normally air flows down this stairway, like a return, because the heat rises through vents directly over the stove. After much searching etc. I couldn't find a problem. I pulled the battery out of smoke alarm. Hours later I put a new battery in, no problem.

Yesterday we had our second snow storm of the season. Again it ended late evening. This morning at 4:45 am the same smoke alarm went off! I can't figure out what's going on. The stove seems to be performing normally and there is no smell or visible smoke, soot, etc. I put the battery in a few hours later and again it was fine.

I bought a new smoke alarm today and will switch them and see what happens during the next storm! Also, none of the other smoke or carbon monoxide alarms went off during this, but they are located further from the stove. This seems like just too much of a coincidence.

How is your stove vented? (ie masonry chimney, SSteel, power vent etc)

I also had one that was acting up just seemed to be going of whenever it wanted to. I replaced it and have had no problems. They are supposed to be replaced aroung the 10 year mark and mine where 9 1/2 so I have since replaced them all. Electric with battery backup so when 1 goes off they all go.
Chris H

It's a brick chimney.

Well I replaced it today so we'll see what happens. It's just odd that both times it happened about 12 hours after a storm.

I think it is a coincidence. Especially since it is the same and only detector going off. I had a customer complain that a smoke detector went off at 3 in the morning and a week later 3 in the morning. The fire department came and tore them all out. They were interconnected so the noise was loud throughout the house. They were at the 10 year mark and once we replaced them, no problem. You will see marked on the detector that they must be changed every 10, or in some detectors 7, years. Hope all is well now.

poltergeist

Your stairway will have two way air flow regardless of the vents cut in the floor. Take a 12" section of toilet paper and hold it at the top of the basement door jamb. It will swing away from the basement. Just the opposite at the bottom. Maybe with the snow storm, were you running the stove alittle hotter? Sometimes with enough temperture, paint will cure from a vent pipe or the stove. Dust can set off a smoke detector too.

Hi folks
Firm believer in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors here.
I have had several brands over the years and some are more sensitive than others it seems. Just the oven warming would set some off and others could be buried in a cloud of smoke before they would sound off.
I found that a cold draft could set some makes off when there was no hint of smoke anywhere . Some also work off particles in the air(smoke) and dust seemed to set them off.
For less than $10 you can get a unit with battery at Wallmart.but step up a notch and go to True Value and see what they offer.
I used to install detectors at my elderly parents home only to go there and find the alarm door open and battery out......"damn thing kept beeping when I would open my stove up to put wood in it....."