Re: "My alarm is making a noise"

[Matt Ion <soundy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

chasbo@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> It never fails!  3:00AM is when the customer decides to call because
> they can not sleep due to an intermittent loud high frequency beep
> allegedly from the alarm system.
>
> And its "in my bedroom.  And it must be the smoke detector."
>
> Awakened by the CO operator I shuffle down my bedroom hall in the dark
> to my home office, bring up the account on my desktop computer, and
> dial her number.
>
> After patiently walking her through a variety of tests to zoom in on
> the exact location of the sound (unfortunately this woman is elderly
> and hard of hearing), and pumping her with a lot of questions about
> all of the known devices she could have purchased and brought into the
> bedroom, etc., including tape recorders, battery operated smoke
> detectors and CO detectors, clock radios -- as well as asking her to
> describe the frequency with which the sound repeats and whether it is
> in unison with the flashing of the red led of the smoke detector.
>
> Fortunately she is very cooperative, pleasant, and appreciative.  We
> have a very good relationship.
>
> After ten of more minutes of detective work I told her I will call her
> again about 8:00AM, and if the beeps are still present I will come to
> the house.  She told me to call at 9:00AM.
>
> I called.  Good news!  It was her cell phone on her night table.
>
> And wouldn't you know it, the cell phone was the one device I forgot
> to mention at 3:00AM.
>
> Here then is the beginning of a checklist that we should all keep as a
> reminder of the devices we should have the customer check before
> sending a serviceman:
>
> Things that make noises that customers think are caused by the Alarm
> System:
>
> 	1.  Cell phones.
> 	2.  Battery operated smoke detectors.
> 	3.  Battery operated tape recorders whose tape is at end of
> line and motor still running.
> 	4.  Stuck doorbells.
> 	5.  Battery operated/plug-in carbon monoxide detectors.
> 	6.  Alarm clock radios.
> 	7.  Kitchen stoves, refrigerators, microwave ovens.
> 	8.  Recently purchased smoke detectors or smoke detectors
> recently removed from service, and placed in closets, bags, etc. ?
> with batteries still inside the units.
> 	9.  Computer standby power supplies warning of low battery.
>
> Anything else?

List cordless-phone handsets and pagers right beside cell phones.

Also check for PDAs with alarms or alerts of some kind (for example, you
may have someone's birthday set as a "day event" and have an alarm set
for it, which in most cases would start it beeping at midnight).

Same goes for digital wristwatches, electronic organizers, etc.

Of course, if you're more of an asshole when you're sleepy, the obvious
response is, "Yes, that's what it's supposed to do." <click>