New alarms that don't fit the old hardware
Upgrading to newer smoke alarms with different features can mean changing the mounting plates or the wiring too. An electrician can make that change and install the new alarms so they fit securely.
Smoke & CO Alarms
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm Installation
For Mount Pleasant and Charleston homes, we replace hardwired and interconnected smoke alarms and install carbon monoxide alarms.
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- Hardwired smoke alarms
- Interconnected alarms
- Carbon monoxide alarms
A smoke alarm on a hallway ceiling, its green light on.
SC License M118633
Master Electrical
Alarms we supply
Free if defective in year one
Licensed & insured
Liability and workers' comp
No trainees, ever
Experienced electricians only
One-year warranty
Workmanship, in writing
The short answer
Do you install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms?
Yes, Gloudeman Electric installs smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in Mount Pleasant, Charleston and nearby towns, including replacements for hardwired smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms are replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture on the back of the alarm, and CO alarms every 5 to 7 years, depending on the model, as our post on replacing smoke alarms explains. An alarm can pass its test button and still need replacing, because the button doesn't test the smoke sensor.
Every job starts with a price: send photos of your alarms and tell us how many there are for a free photo quote. We usually reply the same day, and you approve the price before any work begins.
Why an electrician
When does replacing a smoke alarm call for an electrician?
Replacing a smoke alarm calls for an electrician when the alarms are hardwired or interconnected, when new alarms don't match the old hardware, and when you're unsure how many alarms you need or where they go.
Hardwired alarms
Hardwired smoke alarms are connected to your home's electrical wiring, and our post on replacing smoke alarms says "you should not attempt to replace them on your own." Working with electrical wires takes proper training and tools. We can rewire the alarms you have or install new ones that work with your wiring.
Interconnected alarms
Interconnected smoke alarms are linked: in the words of our post on replacing smoke alarms, they "communicate with each other and sound off simultaneously when one detects smoke or fire." That makes them more complex than a single alarm, since they work as a network. We replace interconnected alarms and make sure they still work together.
How many alarms, and where
The number of smoke alarms in a home, and where they sit, can affect how well they cover it. Our post on replacing smoke alarms says an electrician can help you decide how many you need and where to put them, based on "the size, layout, and features of your home." On Isle of Palms, the City sets out where a rental needs them.
Time to replace your smoke alarms?
Send a photo of each smoke and carbon monoxide alarm you want replaced, or call the office with your questions.
SC License M118633
Master Electrical
What we do
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms we install
We install new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace old ones. A replacement covers more than the alarm: the mounting plate, the wiring behind it and, in an interconnected system, every alarm linked to it have to work with the new one.
- Hardwired smoke alarm replacement
- Interconnected smoke alarms that keep working together
- CO alarm installation and replacement
- New mounting plates or wiring when a new alarm doesn't fit the old ones
- Alarms you've already bought
Carbon monoxide alarms
A CO alarm comes due sooner than a smoke alarm: every 5 to 7 years, depending on the model. Dominion Energy notes that generators emit deadly carbon monoxide, so a portable generator belongs outdoors, where its exhaust can't get into the house; our generator hookups page lists Dominion's other generator safety tips.
Alarms you supply
You're welcome to buy your own smoke and CO alarms for us to install. An alarm you supply carries only its manufacturer's warranty.
Testing
How do you know a smoke alarm still works?
To know a smoke alarm still works, you need more than its test button: the smoke sensor needs its own test, and the alarm's age tells you when it's due for replacement.
The test button checks the basics
Press the test button once a month, as our post on homeowner maintenance and safety tips recommends. Our post on replacing smoke alarms explains what it covers: "The test button only confirms that the battery, electronics, and alert system are working; it doesn’t mean that the smoke sensor is working."
Test spray checks the sensor
To test the smoke sensor, our post on replacing smoke alarms says you need an "aerosol can of smoke alarm test spray that simulates smoke."
Sensors fade with age
The sensor inside a smoke alarm "can lose its sensitivity over time," according to our post on replacing smoke alarms. Citing the U.S. Fire Administration, the post notes that most smoke alarms last between 8 and 10 years.
Check the date on the back
The date of manufacture is on the back of each smoke alarm, and smoke alarms are replaced 10 years from that date. An alarm that still sounds when tested can be past it.
A smoke alarm on a bedroom's beadboard ceiling.
Isle of Palms rentals
What does Isle of Palms require in a rental home?
The City of Isle of Palms requires owners who rent out a home "for any length of time" to hold a short-term rental business license, and the City's fire safety criteria for those rentals require smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. Smoke alarms go "in each bedroom, in hallways outside all sleeping spaces, and one on each floor." CO alarms go "on each floor close to bedrooms, close to gas appliances" and near working fireplaces or gas heaters, and near the door to an attached garage.
The City's fire safety form "is required for both renewals and new licenses" and is signed by the owner, who agrees the home will meet the required criteria "within 90 days of the signature date." The same form recommends clearly labeled circuits, no open breaker spaces, plate covers on junction boxes, outlets and switches, and no extension cords serving as permanent wiring, items much like the ones on a home inspection report. We install the smoke and CO alarms a rental needs.
From the City of Isle of Palms rental license page and its 2023 Short-Term Rental Fire Safety Criteria form. The City can update its criteria, so confirm the current form before you apply or renew.
Pricing
What affects the cost of replacing smoke alarms?
The cost of replacing smoke alarms depends on how many there are, what kind they are, whether the new ones need new mounting plates or wiring, and who supplies them. Those details change from home to home, so we don't publish a flat price.
How many alarms
Each smoke and carbon monoxide alarm you want replaced is part of the price.
What kind of alarms
Battery-powered, hardwired and interconnected alarms make for different jobs: hardwired alarms connect to your home's wiring, and interconnected alarms have to keep working together.
New mounting plates or wiring
Newer alarms with different features may need a new mounting plate or wiring before they fit.
Who supplies the alarms
Alarms we supply are part of your price. You can also have us install alarms you've already bought.
Photo quotes are free. Send a photo of each alarm and the ceiling around it, with a note on how many there are and which floors they're on.
How it works
From photos to new alarms
1
Send photos
Send photos of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, with a quick note on how many there are and what you'd like done. We reply with a price.
2
Approve your quote
Nothing gets scheduled or started until you say yes. Our electricians aren't paid on commission, so no one is selling you work you don't need.
3
Request your appointment
Once you approve the quote, the office reaches out to schedule the work. Or book it yourself online: we give you a Job Level to use with Request your appointment.
4
The installation
An experienced electrician, never a trainee, installs your alarms. Installation work carries a one-year workmanship warranty, written on your contract.
Need us to see the alarms first? Call, text or email the office to set up an in-person consultation. The fee varies by location and is credited toward the work if you hire us.
Reviews
What our customers say.
The first of these Google reviews describes five hardwired smoke detectors replaced, and the other three praise the service and the people behind it.
5.0
★★★★★
Google rating
★★★★★
“Always a great job by Gloudeman Electric! Easy to schedule and reliable. This time, we had our five hardwired smoke detectors replaced. …”
G
Grace
Google review · Five hardwired smoke detectors replaced
★★★★★
“Tremendous service from very knowledgeable technicians. The experience was fantastic from start to finish. Great customer service from the initial phone call to service, the tech arrives on time and the service was done efficiently and effectively. What more can you ask for? Will certainly use again. Highly recommend Gloudeman Electric!”
M
Mark B.
Google review · From the first call to the finished job
★★★★★
“The best. Kind, professional, responsive. Recommend to everyone.”
L
Leslie B.
Google review · Kind and responsive
★★★★★
“Excellent service, professional staff.”
M
Marilyn J.
Google review · Professional staff
Reviews are shown word for word from our Google profile. We're also a Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite.
FAQ
Smoke and CO alarm questions, answered.
Still have a question?
Call or text the office Mon to Fri, 9 to 5, or email us anytime.
How often should smoke detectors be replaced?
Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture, which is on the back of the alarm. Our post on replacing smoke alarms notes, citing the U.S. Fire Administration, that most smoke alarms last between 8 and 10 years.
How often should carbon monoxide alarms be replaced?
Carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced every 5 to 7 years, depending on the model. That's sooner than a smoke alarm, which is replaced 10 years from its date of manufacture.
Can I replace a hardwired smoke detector myself?
No, a hardwired smoke alarm should be replaced by an electrician. Our post on replacing smoke alarms says that if your alarms are connected to your home's wiring, "you should not attempt to replace them on your own." Interconnected alarms also have to keep working together after a new one goes in.
Does the test button mean my smoke alarm works?
Not entirely: the test button confirms that the battery, the electronics and the alert system work, but it doesn't check the smoke sensor. Smoke alarm test spray, which simulates smoke, is what tests the sensor.
What if an alarm you install is defective?
If a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm we supply is defective within the first year, we replace it free; an alarm you supply carries only its manufacturer's warranty. A return visit for an alarm you supplied is handled as a new visit unless we find an installation error.
Is a smoke alarm check part of your maintenance package?
Yes, the $499 Preventative Maintenance Package includes a check of your smoke alarms' age and placement. Replacing an alarm costs extra: we send you that price after the visit, and nothing is replaced until you approve it.
Do Isle of Palms rental homes need smoke and CO alarms?
Yes. The City of Isle of Palms' fire safety criteria for short-term rentals require both smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
How much does it cost to replace smoke detectors?
The cost of replacing smoke alarms depends on how many you're replacing, whether they're hardwired, battery-powered or interconnected, whether the new ones need new mounting plates or wiring, and who supplies the alarms. Send photos of your alarms for a free photo quote.
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From our blog
Smoke and CO alarms near you
Smoke alarms past their date?
Check the date on the back of each alarm, then send photos for a free photo quote, or call the office.
Already approved your quote?