Smoke Detector Installation and Replacement for Homes
Red Electricians installs and replaces hardwired smoke alarms, including units that keep chirping. Smoke detector installation starts from $49 per device (starting price; your cost may differ).
24/7
Emergency service
About 5 min
Callback after a form request
Licensed & insured
In every city we serve
Request a service
Tell us what you
see, hear or smell.
Tell us how many alarms you have, whether they are hardwired and what they are doing. Then call, or send the form. If an alarm is sounding because of smoke or fire, call 911 first.
- A form request gets a callback in about 5 minutes
- Same-day service is possible in many cases
- We offer 24/7 emergency service
Call any time, 24/7
(213) 322-0128
Request a Service
Tell us the problem and we will call you back in about 5 minutes.
Prefer to talk? Call (213) 322-0128.
Overview
Smoke detector installation and replacement: what we do and why customers call
Most people who call us already have a smoke alarm. It chirps in the middle of the night, it will not stop after a new battery, or it has gone off with no smoke at all. Others are adding a bedroom, getting a rental ready or replacing alarms that are well past their age. We install and replace hardwired smoke alarms, and installation starts from $49 per device. We talk through the price on the call. Read more about our electrical services overview.
If an alarm is sounding because of smoke or fire, get everyone out and call 911 first. Then call us.
Smoke alarm rules in California differ for new work and existing homes, and they differ by city, so check the local requirement. Our blog explains the law in detail: California smoke detector law.
What we do
Alarm services: new, replacement, hardwired and interconnected
Every price in this section: starting price; your cost may differ.
New alarm installation
New hardwired alarms for a remodel, a new room or a home that has none. Starts from $49 per device.
Replacing old or expired alarms
Alarms past their stated replacement age are swapped for compatible units, not just given a new battery.
Chirping and false alarms
A hardwired alarm that chirps after a battery change, or sounds with no smoke, is traced to the unit or the wiring.
Interconnected alarms for added rooms
When a bedroom is added, the whole alarm arrangement is reviewed, not just the new room.
Rental turnover alarm records
Replacement units with each location and replacement date written down for the landlord.
Alarms for separate living levels
A set of alarms chosen so the household understands the signals from where they normally are.
Hardwired smoke detector installation
A hardwired alarm runs off the home’s wiring and usually has a battery backup. We replace and install these. If you only have battery alarms and are not sure whether that is something we handle, ask when you call.
Pricing
What smoke detector installation costs per device
How much does smoke detector installation cost? It starts from $49 per device. The total depends on how many alarms you need and how easy they are to reach.
Hardwired or battery-backed units are the technician’s advice on the call. We would rather talk it through than guess.
Every price in this section: starting price; your cost may differ.
| Service | Starting price | What changes the final price | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke detector installation | From $49 per device | Hardwired or battery, interconnection, ceiling height and ladder access, number of devices, the type of unit and the condition of the wiring | Quoted on the call |
Decision guide
Hardwired, battery backup or sealed battery: how the options compare
| Hardwired, interconnected | Hardwired with battery backup | Sealed long-life battery alarm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Wired to the house, and the alarms are linked so one sounds them all | Wired to the house, with a battery that keeps it running if power fails | Runs on its own sealed battery |
| Where it is often used | Bedrooms, halls and several levels | New and replacement alarms in most homes | Spots where wiring is not available |
| What the technician checks | That the alarms are compatible and all sound together | The unit, the wiring and the backup supply | Where it is mounted and its replacement date |
Rules differ between new construction, permitted work and existing homes. Confirm the local requirement with your city or fire department before you choose.
The visit
From booking to a tested, interconnected alarm set
- Call us, or send the form. A form request gets a callback in about 5 minutes.
- Tell us how many alarms you have, whether they are hardwired, and what they are doing. Model numbers help.
- We agree a time. Same-day service is possible in many cases, and if not, it is usually the next day or within a few days.
- The electrician checks the existing alarms and how high and where they are.
- The new alarms are installed or replaced, and the old ones taken down.
- We test the alarms the way the maker’s instructions say, check the interconnection, and note each location and replacement date.
Field notes
Field notes: a new bedroom, an expired rental and a split-level home
A home with separate living levels needed an alarm arrangement the household could rely on. We reviewed the required locations and the notification options, installed the accepted devices, and let the occupants watch the full test. They kept the instructions and the list of locations together for later checks. The relevant reference is NFPA 72.
Completed May 3, 2023. In a two-story house with battery alarms, the owner could not clearly hear the lower-level alarm from a newly altered bedroom. A survey found an unprotected hallway and no link between the existing units. We replaced the older incompatible alarms with an interconnected set in the required places and checked that every alarm sounded, including in the sleeping room.
Alarm installation must consider the sleeping layout and the complete compatible system.
Our electrician
Our electrician’s advice: bring the current alarm model numbers to a survey for a bedroom alteration. A new room can change what is needed beyond the walls of that room.
A rental turnover with expired alarms
At a rental turnover, several alarms were past their stated replacement age. We checked the maker’s guidance, picked compatible replacements, checked the interconnection and recorded each unit’s location and replacement date for the landlord.
Availability
Smoke detector installation near me: coverage and scheduling
We install smoke alarms across our service area. See our service areas for the full list. Same-day service is possible in many cases. If not, it is usually the next day or within a few days, and we do not promise a time before we hear about the job. Our call center is open 24/7.
Customer feedback
What customers tell us about alarm visits
We have no customer review about a smoke alarm job to show, and we will not borrow one from another service. What we can show are the overall Google ratings of our six profiles, each for its own location and as of Oct 8, 2026: Palm Springs 5.0 from 83 reviews, Yorba Linda 4.9 from 61, Sherman Oaks 4.9 from 52, Montecito 4.9 from 57, Pasadena 5.0 from 71 and Topanga 5.0 from 69. Read customer reviews to see them.
Common questions
Smoke alarm questions from real calls
Why does my hardwired alarm chirp after I changed the battery?
A chirp can come from the alarm itself, from its wiring or from a unit that has reached the end of its life. A new battery does not always fix it. Call us and we find out which one it is.
Do you replace old or expired alarms?
Yes. We replace alarms that are past their stated replacement age with compatible units, and we write down where each one is.
Do you install battery-only alarms?
Ask us on the call. We would rather talk about what you have before we say.
How much does it cost per device?
Installation starts from $49 per device. It is a starting price, and your cost may differ. The number of devices and how easy they are to reach set the final price.
Do I need an electrician for this?
If your alarms are hardwired, or you are adding alarms where there is no wiring yet, an electrician is the right person. It is also worth calling if an alarm keeps chirping.
Are interconnected alarms required?
It depends on the home and the work being done. Read our California smoke detector law blog, and check with your city.
Can you set up alarms at a rental?
Yes. We note each unit’s location and replacement date for the landlord.
Do you offer a warranty?
Red Electricians offers a standard warranty on its work. Ask your technician for the details when you call.
Schedule smoke detector installation
Tell us how many alarms you have, whether they are hardwired and what they are doing. Then call, or send the form. If an alarm is sounding because of smoke or fire, call 911 first.