Life Safety & Security January 2021

How Often Should You Check
Fire Alarm Installations?
Article Update
Fire Alarm Installations are not ‘complete’
after becoming operational. The system has
to be regularly maintained and monitored or it
could bring disastrous results. Electrical fire
hazards are more prevalent during the cold
months in Whangarei and Auckland.
Heating is more often the main cause of
structure fires. Property owners have to be
alert to warning signs of a possible electrical
fire such as lights that flicker without any
apparent reason, an unusual smell, frayed
wires or loose connections, discolored
receptacles or tripped circuit breakers.
This brings you to the question: how often
should you check your fire alarm installation
and who is qualified to do the inspection?
It is required that only experienced and trained
fire protection experts will conduct all the
visual inspections and testing of fire alarm
systems. The visual inspection process can
be done weekly, monthly, or annually while
testing can be done semiannually or annually.
It’s crucial for property owners to know what
comprises a fire alarm system. People have to
know the difference between a smoke alarm
and a fire alarm.
A fire alarm system involves action and
detection. It functions more than a sensor
does. The fire alarm system can detect a high
amount of smoke and it does its part. The
sensor is linked to the alarm system which
blares when the detection system gets
activated. There are fire alarm systems that
include a sprinkler system that will sprinkle
water to put out the fire.
On the other hand, a smoke detector is often
used. The smoke detector as the name implies
can detect a high amount of smoke. It works
like a sensor. It detects an irregular amount of
smoke in the home, and it leaves the owner to
do what is required.
New Zealand’s Fire and Emergency New
Zealand recommends installing an alarm in
each living and sleeping area for full
compliance with F7/AS1. Alarms have to be
installed on the ceiling at 200 mm away from a
wall. When the ceiling is sloping, the alarm
has to be set 200 to 500 mm away from the
apex. It must not be installed in the kitchen,
garage, or bathroom, or any damp or draughty
area. As routine maintenance, it’s important to
press the test button every month for the
alarm to sound. Every six months, smoke
alarms have to be dusted and vacuumed.
Every year, the expiry date has to be checked
as well, and at least every ten years, the
smoke alarms have to be replaced.
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January - 2021