Beat the Beep Campaign

About the Campaign

No home appliance lasts forever, including carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. The East Peoria Fire Department is encouraging residents to check the life span of their CO alarms as part of the national Beat the Beep campaign.

Purpose

The Beat the Beep campaign’s purpose is to alert residents that their CO alarms may be reaching the end of their life cycles and should be replaced before the beeps indicating end of life. Replacing the alarm will provide residents with continuous protection against possible CO poisoning and reduce the number of false alarms received by the Fire Department.

When to Replace an Alarm

Since 2007, Illinois state law has required residences to have at least one CO alarm within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping purposes. The life expectancy of the alarms is five to seven years depending on the manufacturer. Many CO alarms installed after the state law was passed are now reaching the end of their useful life and need to be replaced. The life of a CO alarm begins when it is first powered up.

One sign a CO alarm should be replaced is a chirping or beeping sound that does not stop until the unit is powered off. Another sign is that the unit shows a low battery signal even after new batteries are installed. Models with a digital read-out will show and “ERR,” “E09” or “END” message.

More Information

For more information, contact the East Peoria Fire Department fire prevention division at 309-427-7673.