I was cleaning out my refrigerator this morning, tossing a few things out and collecting plates to put in the dishwasher, when I heard the oddest sound. It started out as a loud, wavering “BeeeeEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeP!”, and then resolved itself into “Beep! Beep! Beep!”…”Beep! Beep! Beep!”.
I realized it was a smoke detector going off, so I tried to stay calm. I’m sick and can’t smell anything, so I couldn’t tell if there was smoke. They dryer was running downstairs, so I ran down to the basement to check the laundry room – nothing, and the beeping was much quieter. I ran upstairs to check the second floor – nothing, and the beeping was quieter up there too. I checked the carbon monoxide detector – nothing.
So I called my mom, who ran over to try to help me out. I was trying to decide whether to evacuate the dogs and Carrie, but I couldn’t find any hint of fire anywhere. And no matter where I went in the house, the beeping got quieter – except in the kitchen. By this time my mom was here, and we determined where the beeping was coming from: the kitchen trash.
Denis had replaced the malfunctioning smoke detector in the foyer earlier in the week. And, apparently, he didn’t take the battery out before tossing it in the trash. As of this moment, the smoke detector is still beeping out in the trash can in the garage. I’m not digging through there to take the battery out!