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I'm new to Germany (Berlin) and I find myself alone in an apartment faced with a Rauchabzug that's making a single constant beep.

As best I can tell from some brief research, this has something to do with smoke extraction in case of fire, but it's been going for a while now, there doesn't seem to be any fire or smoke and the noise is more just irritating than something that seems like an alarm.

What does this mean and what am I suppose to do about it?

It looks roughly like this image I found on Wikipedia:

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  • 2
    This would be the best title seen on the site yet. And the best nickname :) – Fattie Nov 11 at 3:22
  • The device reads "smoke evacuation" and "smash window, press button deeply." Also, the light is showing OK. – o.m. Nov 11 at 10:59
up vote 4 down vote accepted

Those Rauchabzug buttons control electrical window openers on a skylight. It's only to be pressed in case of fire.

The beeping may mean there's something wrong with the skylight or the opener. You should ask the facility manager (German: der Hausmeister) to do something about it.

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