The Propane Fireplace is Causing the Fire Alarm to Activate

Propane Fireplaces

• If natural gas is not available in your area, and you don't want to tend to the mess of a wood-burning fireplace, get a fireplace that uses propane fuel. Once you turn on a propane fireplace, the room quickly heats with either convection or radiant heat. Convection heat warms objects that are close to the fire; radiant heat warms all the air in the room. Models that don't require a permanent vent are, obviously, less demanding than wood fireplaces.

Causes

• The direct hot air coming from a propane fireplace is most often the cause of nuisance false alarms, although other factors might be the cause as well. It may be that your fire alarm simply wore out. Replacing it every eight to 10 years helps guard against age as a factor. Or, it could be that dust, insects or cobwebs near the alarm are causing it to activate unnecessarily. Remove the unit from the wall or ceiling and clean the exterior gently but thoroughly with a soft bristle brush, the crevice tool of a vacuum or a can of compressed air.

Temporary Measures

• You and your family may become complacent when you hear the alarm go off, instead of reacting immediately, if frequent false alarms occur. Don't remove the batteries or put the fire alarm on its silent mode to prevent false alarms while the fireplace is on. It is too easy to forget to put the batteries back in or change the mode -- you'll be left without protection. Rather than depending on temporary measures, find and fix the true cause.

Reposition the Fire Alarm

• The idea behind where to put the alarm is to keep it away from the heat source or air flow of the propane fireplace. Position it at least 4 inches away from other walls and approximately 6 inches from where the ceiling and wall meet. Keep it away from heating and air conditioning vents and returns. In a nearby hallway on the wall farthest away from the fireplace are wise choices.