Fire Alarm Maintenance: Avoiding False Alarms
One of the best ways to reduce the risk of false alarms is by ensuring your fire detection system is being regularly maintained.
What is a false alarm?
A false alarm is when your alarm goes off when there is no real fire.
There are a number of reasons a false alarm might be triggered, including:
- Cooking fumes, such as burning food
- Chemical sprays, such as aerosols
- Dust build-up
- Steam
- Cigarette smoke
Detectors can be triggered by light smoke or even a change in temperature.
Why are false alarms a problem?
False alarms are disruptive to you, your business, and to the emergency services.
- Doubt: An alarm system that is triggered without cause can make building occupants complacent and reluctant to evacuate the premises when an alarm sounds. This endangers lives when the alarm is real.
- Costly: An unnecessary alarm costs you and your business money as well as the emergency services.
How does fire alarm maintenance reduce false alarms?
Regular maintenance and upkeep of your alarm system significantly reduces the risk of false alarms that might occur.
During a fire alarm maintenance visit, a service engineer will examine the system thoroughly to ensure that any faults have received proper attention. They will also check control panels, sounders, detectors, manual call points, and back-up power supplies, ensuring that the system is compliant with British Standard BS 5839-1.
Maintenance visits should occur at least every six months. Weekly tests should be carried out by the responsible person.
Battery and Power Supply Checks
When a fire alarm system experiences issues with its power supply, its behaviour can become temperamental. Regular testing ensures power stability, reducing false alarms caused by electrical issues.
Software and Firmware Updates
Many fire alarm systems have digital components. Ensuring the software is fully up to date will improve detection algorithms, reducing the risk of false alarms.
Detector Placement
Sometimes, the location of the detector makes it susceptible to false positives. For example, if the alarm is placed in the kitchen it may detect light smoke, or if near a bathroom it may be triggered by steam.
An engineer may relocate or shield the detector to prevent nuisance triggers.
Testing and Diagnostics
Regular testing of your alarm system helps to spot faulty or overly sensitive detectors. If this is the case, the faulty components can be replaced or repaired before they cause false alarms.
User Education
Ensure that occupants are not accidentally causing false alarms themselves, for example by using aerosol sprays or smoking near the detector.
Benefits of Fire Alarm Maintenance
Fire alarm maintenance minimises the occurrence of malfunctions or environmental factors triggering a false alarm.
- Ensures accuracy: Regular cleaning and testing of the detector system removes dust and debris that might trigger the alarm.
- Identification of faults: A service engineer will be able to detect faults with the system early and repair them, preventing them from escalating and causing false alarms.
- Device functionality: Maintenance checks ensure devices are functioning effectively and in accordance with the latest British Standards, preventing false alarms caused by faulty devices.
- Addresses environmental factors: A service engineer carrying out a maintenance visit will identify any external issues that are contributing to false alarms, such as poor placement or ventilation issues.
- Improved reliability: Regular maintenance visits mean you can have confidence that your system is working effectively, and reduces the risk of unexpected activations. This increases trust in the system.
By properly maintaining your fire alarm system, you can have confidence that real fires will be detected as well as reducing the cost and disruption caused by false alarms.
If you’re looking for maintenance for your alarm system, we can help. Click here to get in touch.