Why Service Your Fire Alarm System & Who Can Do It?

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Fire alarm systems are an important part of safety and are there to protect lives and property. They can be automatically set off by smoke or heat detectors that work using various types of sensors.

According to the UK fire safety regulations, it is a legal requirement for you to have a proper fire alarm system in place if any one of the following statements is true:

Your property is large, multi-storeyed, or close-planned,
You store high-risk and highly-flammable substances such as chemicals and paints,
You undertake high-risk activities that involve open fires, such as cooking, or
A fire would not be easily spotted if it broke out anywhere on the property.

Fires are a serious hazard that can cause substantial losses if not controlled, which is why fire alarms need to be incorporated into a property’s safety plan and made sure that they are 100% reliable.

For a fire alarm system to be considered reliable, it needs to be regularly serviced and tested to make sure it is working as it should in providing the quickest detection and immediate response.

For some, installing a good fire alarm system seems to be the end of the story when in reality, that should not be the case. You are required by the law to have them regularly serviced and ensure that they provide the maximum protection against fires.

Fire alarms may develop several issues over the years and, just as with any other system, they require regular upkeep.

Dust, dirt, and other obstructions may cause them to malfunction and, while some issues might be obvious, some require professional services and a thorough maintenance check.

Here are all the reasons why you must service your fire alarm system and who to contact for it:

WHY SERVICE YOUR FIRE ALARM SYSTEM?

Fire alarm system servicing is just like getting your car regularly serviced. You do that to ensure that the car runs smoothly without causing any trouble and to save money on bigger issues that might manifest as a result of sheer oversight.

Here are the top benefits of regular fire alarm servicing:

Regular servicing helps save lives

Fire alarms are used for a very specific purpose; detecting fires and stopping them from spreading and, in doing so, they save multiple lives and valuable property.

Damage and destruction from fires can be minimised if the threat is instantly detected, giving the occupants enough time to flee to safety and contact the authorities to control the fire from spreading.

Fire alarms need to be trusted to work when they are needed the most. Faulty and run-down systems might fail for several reasons and may not detect the threat or sound the alarm to alert the occupants of a building on time, resulting in loss of precious lives.

Regular servicing helps stay compliant with the law

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to every type of building and states that any person(s) responsible for the property must take the necessary steps to reduce the risk of fires and ensure the safety of the people.

According to the British Standard BS 5839, a fully functional fire alarm is a regulatory requirement, making regular testing an integral part of fire safety. The inability to do so may result in heavy penalties in the form of fines of up to £5,000 and up to 2 years in prison.

Regular servicing can save you money

Regular servicing not just helps save money by protecting valuable assets and property, but if you have proof of a state-of-the-art, properly maintained fire alarm system, you can avail great discounts offered by many property insurance providers.

Also, if a commercial fire alarm were to malfunction during a fire, the business owners could be in for a serious lawsuit due to injuries and, in serious cases, death of staff members, visitors, and employees.

Regular servicing meets insurance requirements

When meeting insurance requirements, you need to provide proof that you took all the necessary precautions and did everything in your power to prevent the damage/loss from happening.

This includes installing and maintaining a fire alarm system that can be relied upon in times of need. If a fire occurs and the insurance company finds that your fire alarm was faulty and did not undergo regular inspections, they will refuse to pay for any fire damage.

Regular servicing prevents faults

Fire alarms may develop faults and show clear signs of deterioration in the form of faulty sensors, ground faults, alarm failure, and battery issues.

The main reason why they start to malfunction is because of the dirt and moisture lodged in them or because of obstructions in the way. Such faulty components might not pick up signs of a fire and fail to alert the people nearby of the danger.

Regular servicing prevents false alarms

False fire alarms may be a result of inadequate maintenance and can be a serious nuisance for the occupants of a property as well as the people residing and working nearby. They can cause disruptions to work and waste valuable fire department resources if they are called to the scene.

To deal with the issue, the authorities have imposed a fine on people calling them out due to repeated false alarms making it all the more important to have the systems regularly serviced.

WHAT IS DONE DURING FIRE ALARM SERVICING?

A fire alarm system is made up of various components that constitute the control panel, sensors, detectors, alerting devices, call points, and a power source – all of which are prone to developing faults over a certain period and due to a lack of proper maintenance.

During an inspection, an experienced professional is hired to check the system from the inside out for any faults or potential issues. The steps include:

Checking whether the system complies with the fire safety standards,
Identifying environmental conditions that might affect and compromise the system,
Inspecting the general conditions of the fire alarm panels and testing their operation,
Inspecting and testing all the smoke and heat detectors, sounders, and power sources including primary and backup batteries,
Cleaning all the detectors and sensors of dust, dirt, and any form of obstruction,
Verifying that all signals are received by an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in case of professional monitoring,
Compiling a report and maintaining a log of all the previous and current inspections.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRE ALARM SERVICING?

Fire safety is taken very seriously in the UK and there are many legal requirements that one has to fulfil to meet the current standards.

Under the Regulatory Reform Act (Fire Safety) Order 2005, you are responsible for fire safety on your premises if you are the owner, employer, landlord, or anyone in a controlling position.

There can be more than one responsible person but the standard recommends that a single member be appointed to supervise all fire-related matters and ensure that the necessary safety measures are taken.

As a responsible person, you must undertake a thorough risk assessment of your premises which includes:

Identifying the potential hazards,
Identifying those at risk,
Evaluating the extent of risk and removing it,
Recording the findings and preparing an action plan, and
Reviewing and updating the assessment as necessary.

The purpose of the fire risk assessment is to understand a property’s unique fire safety requirements and take the necessary steps to counteract the issue.

It includes training occupants, staff members, and employees, conducting fire drills and making evacuation plans, and installing and maintaining fire safety equipment such as portable multi-purpose fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, fire hose reels, emergency lighting, and fire alarm systems.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU SERVICE YOUR FIRE ALARM SYSTEM?

It is crucial for the health of your fire system to have it regularly serviced and inspected. Therefore, if you have a fire alarm installed on your property, which you must, make sure to carry out regular maintenance checks.

As per the British Safety Standards BS 5839, fire alarms must be tested every week and fully serviced every six months.

This duration, however, isn’t set in stone and may vary depending on the size and complexity of the system. For large and high-risk properties, it might be best to have the systems serviced every four months instead of the recommended six.

Also, if you feel like your system is showing signs of damage or deterioration, it is advised to have a professional look at the issue and fix it ASAP before it affects the efficiency of the system.

A simple breakdown of a fire alarm maintenance schedule includes:

A weekly check

A weekly check is a requirement under the law and is done to ensure there are no major faults in the system along with familiarising the occupants, staff members, and employees with the sound of the alarm.

The tests must be carried out at a set time and day every week so that the occupants are aware of the tests and they don’t cause unnecessary panic.

Also, the tests normally do not exceed a minute so to cause minimum disruption and help people distinguish between a test alarm and an actual alarm.

In systems with multiple manual call points, where a person is required to manually trigger the alarm in the event of a fire, a different call point must be tested each week so that all of them are included in the schedule over a period of time.

In the end, all the automatic locking systems and fire doors must be checked to see whether they close properly and all the findings recorded in a Fire Log Book.

A monthly check

A monthly check is more thorough than a weekly one and is done to ensure that the alarm system is working properly and the batteries can be relied upon for uninterrupted power supply

WHO CAN SERVICE YOUR FIRE ALARM SYSTEM?

According to the UK fire alarm regulations, someone competent and reliable must be chosen to install and service your fire alarm. They require that:

The security company must understand the various types of fire alarm systems and be familiar with all the different models.
They must be able to identify the grades and categories of the fire alarm system.
They must have good knowledge of the British Standard BS 5839.

FIRE ALARM SERVICING COSTS

On average, a maintenance visit would cost you around £125-£200+, however, the charges may differ if you have a maintenance contract.

Maintenance contracts are contracts between the security company and the fire alarm owner that ensure the system will be looked after and all its servicing needs will be taken care of, leaving you, the owner and user, carefree and at ease.

A maintenance contract will put you and your system on top priority in case of an unexpected fault and also during emergency callouts.

The duration of the contract, the price, and other details may vary between contracts and companies and you may set up a custom maintenance contract as per your requirements and budget.

Some maintenance contracts also include professional fire alarm monitoring services for added security and protection.

Fire alarm repair is another service closely attached to maintenance and, depending on the nature of the fault, this could cost you around £92.

CONTACT CALDER SECURITY

At Calder Security, we offer you a comprehensive solution for all your fire safety needs and guarantee the best service in all of Yorkshire and beyond. Our services include:

Fire alarm installation

The proper installation of a fire alarm system is just as important as the quality of the system itself. It is a complex task requiring expertise in the field.

We understand that every property is different and the specifications of the system depend on several factors including the type and size of the property and the number of occupants.

We can help you cut through all that and advise you on the best fire detection system that complies with British Standards, HSE, Building Regulations, and Fire Officer Guidelines.

We install only high-quality equipment from our trusted suppliers and all our systems comply with business insurance terms.

Fire alarm maintenance

It is not enough to simply have a fire alarm system installed on your premises. The law states that it must be maintained properly and, depending on many factors, this can be anything up to 3 times per year.

We understand fire regulations and provide professional maintenance checks and reminders for when the checks are due to help you stay compliant with the law.

We work fast to restore your fire alarm system to excellent condition and always strive to meet your expectations.

Fire alarm monitoring

Fast response to an activated fire alarm can make all the difference in minimising risk to life and property, and fire alarm monitoring does that by adding an extra layer of safety to the system.

Knowing that experts at an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) are looking out for your safety and taking the necessary steps to ensure that safety remains intact in the event of a fire is a very reassuring thought.

We offer various levels of monitoring via a 24-hour monitoring centre using Dualcom and BT Redcare signalling, which is the most secure alarm monitoring system and the largest supplier of intelligent alarm signalling services in the UK.

Fire alarm monitoring does not only significantly minimise the seriousness of the situation through fast action, but also reduces your insurance premiums.

Fire alarm repair

As per the law, if a fire alarm system becomes faulty, it is mandatory to get it repaired quickly and professionally. The inability to do so can leave you, your staff, your property, and all of its assets in a vulnerable state.

A faulty fire alarm can result in false alarms or, in a worst-case scenario, prevent it from triggering at all in the event of a fire.

Our engineers are highly skilled and can restore your system to full working order in one visit. We offer a 24-hour call-out service for customers and can also repair fire alarms not installed by us thanks to our extensive knowledge and experience.

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Why service your fire alarm system & who can do it?