And while I did see some Buttercups and Crocuses (Croci?) in bloom early this week (before it snowed) I think that rascally Ground Pig named Punky Phil might be right... Darn it.
I've been alone in the office this week as the other "inmates" are at a conference and/or out of town for other sundry and various reasons. This past Monday morning, I sat at my desk with hot cup of coffee in hand and whilst still in the process of trying to boot my brain after a weekend shut down, I heard a "CHIRP!"
I opened a bleary, sleep-filled eye and thought, "What was that?" Looking around, I saw nothing. Thinking I had imagined it, I turned to my desk and started to shuffle the papers I found thereon in faint (and feeble too) hopes of jump starting my work week. The cars and trucks rumbled outside on the Main Street of town, and the radiator beside me popped loudly once or twice... but all seemed normal.
"Chhh-HIRP!"
No, I hadn't imagined it... there was something definitely chirping. The room has a number of Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS) under the desks to provide power to a desktop computer should the electric be interrupted for any reason. They normally chirp when the electric goes off. But no, the lights were on. And believe me, I had to check to see if that was the case.
"Chhh-HIRP!"
Since I am hearing impaired, localizing the source of this annoyance wasn't going to be easy. I started by looking at each UPS in case one was complaining (or had accidentally gotten unplugged) and did not find one. According to my count, there are 11 of them on the first floor and 8 on the second floor.
"Chhh-HIRP!" "Chhh-HIRP!"
By now my tinnitus was in full flare. Every other "Chhh-HIRP!" was only the sound in my head. Growing desperate, I "Chhh-HIRP!" actually sat down to think... what else could it "Chhh-HIRP!" be?
It sounded like a smoke "Chhh-HIRP!" detector that had a dying battery "Chhh-HIRP!".
But the ones in my office are all "wired" in to the electric main. "Chhh-HIRP!" They shouldn't have batteries in them... "Chhh-HIRP!" should they?
I forced myself to tune out the noise and get to work. I emailed a couple friends saying I was being driven "Chhh-HIRP!" batty. One of them, suggested that perhaps one of my co-workers had played a prank on me. Perhaps they had gotten a "ThinkGeek Annoy-a-tron"?
I sighed, well, a couple of them would! So I looked around some more. Hmmm...
The illuminated emergency Exit Signs have batteries in them. The sign is always lit, and when the power goes out, it stays lit, and the floods turn on. Could a battery be dying in one of these? I went around and tested all three of them.
Front door.. "Chhh-HIRP!" No, it lights up and it's not making any noise that I can hear. The back door? "Chhh-HIRP!" ... Nope. Same story. It's working fine.
Ut oh. The Exit Sign at the top of the stairs?
I got a ladder out, climbed up, and hanging onto it over the stairway (it's a long long way down), push the test button, and nothing happens. The Exit Sign is not lit. How long has that been the case? "Chhh-HIRP!" Oh my, I am close(r)! The flood lights next to the Exit Sign? No, those work fine.
Hmm.. is it the Exit Sign? I'm going to have to fix that immediately anyway. I've not seen a building inspector in 12 years, but with the gosh by golly sign out and my usual horrid luck, they'll be knocking on the door in within an hour!
But something's "Chhh-HIRP!" not right... It's not the Exit Sign that is "Chhh-HIRP!" making the noise. It seems to be behind me in the hallway... "Chhh-HIRP!"
What could it be? The only culprit left is a smoke detector.
Well, I'll be, wired in or not, it has a battery in it, and it finally failed after 12 years.
I got 4 new batteries and replaced each and every one of them. There is one on each floor (basement, 1st, 2nd, and attic), wired together so that when one goes off, they all go off.
I then replaced the entire Exit Sign since I couldn't get parts for the old one anymore, with a new (much "greener") LED version.
...and the silence was blissful.
...or it will be until my coworkers come back and fall prey to my hiding a "ThinkGeek Annoy-a-tron" where they'll never find it....
Eh, eh, eh.... :)
18 comments:
Just the laugh I needed to break my afternoon. I was thinking smoke detector all along. Have you seen that TV commercial? It make me laugh every time. Sorry. I'm not laughing at you. Aaa. Just the TV commercial. Yeah. The commercial. So glad you found the source.
OH no! :) My doorbell signaller has been making odd noises, so my mother has been unplugging them. That annoys me because I won't know if the doorbell rings if she keeps unplugging them. And then I'll turn around one day and find the UPS glaring at me through the window next to the front door and scare the bejesus out of me. Not cool. Nope.
Oh my..it was a real hunt..glad you found the culprit and got other things fixed along the way too! I read about the annoy-a-tron that will turn your co workers into spitting, cussing and paranoid lunatics...go for it! :)
I think the annoy-a-tron is going to be in your sneaky hands soon just to see others go through a similar torment. bwahahahaha
What a long and determined hunt! That beeping drives me crazy! I would have hunted it down, too. That commercial that comes on--I FF right through it if I have recorded the program or I put it on mute. Can't stand it! Sooooo annoying! Do they want us to hate their commercial? I don't even know what they're promoting because I am long gone after the first beeping--LOL! ;) Anyways, glad you're beep free!
I'm glad you finally found the chirping noise. Very annoying sound, isn't it?
There was a smoke detector in the hallway of a motel in Ohio about three years ago that kept me awake all night long with it's constant chirping. If I remember correctly, my traveling companions heard nothing.
I've never heard of an Annoy-a-tron, but it would certainly drive me batty trying to locate the sound it produces. (i hope your co-workers have a good sense of humor...LOL)
P.S. I'm glad you didn't fall while repairing the EXIT sign, too.
Quite the search for the "Chhh-HIRP!" I'm glad it wasn't someone playing a trick on your with an Annoy-a-tron. And now you won't have to worry about any more "Chhh-HIRP!" for another 12 years. Now all you have to worry about is the light from the LED Exit sign, lol.
Our smoke alarm started Chirping over christmas but every time you thought must change the batteries it stopped!
Finally the constant quaking of the dogs made us change the battery LOL
I'm glad you located the source of the chirping sound in the end. I'm also glad you didn't fall while checking the exit sign.
How long after the real sound stopped did it take for the chirping in your head to stop?
I should have lent you Kero; he sits under the smoke detectors and howls when they make those chirping noises, so you can't mistake what's making the sound... Just find the howling dog, LOL!
I thought there was going to be a bird caught in one of the exit signs or something (not that it'd be at all possible!) Nice detective work, though- I would have given up after about 2 minutes... :)
My smoke alarm in FL thankfully over the 7 years did not need to have the battery changed but once 'cause it was at a very high peak in the very high ceiling of the family room. I needed to borrow a ladder to reach it!
I saw a Robin the other day on Main Street.... so spring is a comin!
Take Care neighbor!
If it wasn't loud, I'm a little surprised you heard it. I have that constant ring in my ears too, (is that an age thing or a "I've sat too close to the speakers" type of thing?) I was expectig a cricket.. That would have been better than a Robin.
i hate those things..I take the battery's out..
That is the most annoying sound and it terrifies my pup. It never fails that they go out around two in the morning here! LOL! I am glad you were able to enjoy a little silence though once you figured out the culprit! Hope you are doing well!
The minute I read "chir-rrup" (or however you put that lol) - I thought smoke detector! I hate that sound! You do realize the ThinkGeek-Anoy-A-Tron will drive you crazy too until they find it... just sayin....
Have a great day! My computer has been giving me fits but decided today it will behave. It is 6 years old and time for a replacement but I don't wanna!!!! Snowing here. Brrrrr.
Have a wonderful week and huge huggsssss!!!!!
A lady at work had the very same issue at her home and couldn't locate which chirper was chirping! Fire alarm too. I want to know what you hid.
What a great way to waste half a day of work. Of course there was no way you could have concentrated with all that chirping...it is like water torture isn't it?
I went through something similar on our back patio several years ago.
I really thought I had a migrant bird and was looking for it. Turned out to be a dog-barking device that is supposed to be silent for human ears. And it was beeping in our neighbors yard for some reason.
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