Why It’s Important to Have Your Fire Alarm Tested

Fire Alarm System

Thanks to elementary school, we all know what to do when a fire alarm goes off. Walk calmly to the nearest exit and leave the building.

Easy enough, but what if your fire alarm doesn’t work anymore? Every commercial building is equipped with some kind of fire or smoke detection system, but when was the last time you had the one in your office tested to make sure it works properly?

Because today’s offices are overloaded with electronics, the chance of a fire emergency are greater than ever. We’re used to having our technology work, and the worst time to discover it doesn’t is when it’s critical.

There are a lot of things that can wear down an alarm system. Everyday dust and dirt could get in and damage the wiring. That dust and dirt is even worse if you’ve recently renovated or made major changes to the office. Good old fashioned aging can also cause your system to break down without you even noticing it.

With a little forethought, though, you can stay on top of maintenance for your fire alarm. There are a few steps you can take to ensure you and your coworkers are safe:

1. Test and calibrate alarm sensors. This will take some research as you’ll need to learn about those sensors, their testing requirements, failure modes, and re-installation needs.
2. If you have specific knowledge of the system, you can run simulation tests for the annunciators.
3. Set the sensitivity. Again, this requires specific knowledge of the system and fire detection theory.
4. Coordinate with the fire department to test their input.
5. Check the battery for corrosion and replace if needed.

Sounds like a lot of work, right? It is!!

Fire alarm testing can, in theory, be done by the owner, but it’s more often something that should be left to professionals. This is a great time of year to check up on all your detection systems, and we’ll be happy to help.

Give us a call and schedule your fire alarm inspection today.

Category: Commercial Electrical, Electrical Safety

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