Fire Protection Services
Fire alarm maintenance is not only a legal requirement for any business or non-profit property. It is also an important element of keeping your organization and clients safe. Fire alarm maintenance should always be conducted according to your state and local minimum requirements, as well as your fire alarm manufacturer’s recommendations.
The older a fire alarm system is, the more important maintenance becomes. Over time, factors including dust, damaged wires, broken casings, and extreme heat or cold can damage the circuitry and delicate smoke and heat sensor mechanisms in your fire alarm system. Routing inspection, maintenance, and repair are critical to ensure that your fire alarm system is working in the case of an actual fire.
A dedicated fire alarm maintenance company will take your building’s safety seriously and ensure that you are protected with appropriate documentation of your fire alarm maintenance checks.
In order to maintain fire alarms, a business or organization should partner with a fire alarm maintenance company that is registered with their State Fire Marshall to conduct fire alarm inspection and maintenance. Fire alarm maintenance should not be done by in-house maintenance personnel, as performing fire alarm maintenance requires certification, registration and ongoing technical training. (Some states make exceptions for some state agencies).
A licensed, registered fire alarm maintenance company will conduct through, regular inspections of your fire alarm system that include visual inspection, testing, cleaning, and repair of the system including the control panel, sensors, notification devices, and backup batteries. They will provide required documentation for your state in accordance with NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) guidelines.
A fire alarm system consists of the following elements:
- Control Panel, which connects all elements of the fire alarm system.
- System Circuit Wiring, which is the physical wiring that connects system components to the control panel.
- Heat and Smoke Detectors, which trigger the fire alarm system in case of fire.
- Manual pull stations, which can be used to trigger the fire alarm manually.
- Notification devices, which include a loud alarm sound and flashing lights.
- Annunciators, which give direction as to where in the building the fire is located.
- Auxiliary power, or backup batteries.
- Wired or Wireless Communication System, which alerts the fire department and your fire alarm monitoring company when the fire alarm system is triggered.
In addition to an annual fire alarm inspection, it is required by state law and national fire code to test certain fire alarm components every three months, with inspection of some components on a weekly and monthly basis.
Fire alarm systems include various triggers including temperature sensors, smoke detectors, and manual pull stations.
No. A smoke detector is one component of a fire alarm system, which also includes temperature sensors, alarms, notification devices, and more.
Florida Fire Alarm Maintenance Requirements
In the State of Florida, fire alarm maintenance companies are registered with the State Fire Marshall. Florida follows the NFPA guidelines for our state fire alarm code. However, the State Fire Marshall official website lists local amendments to these guidelines, which require additional fire alarm monitoring, or other stipulations. Find your city in Florida to learn about additional requirements, reach out to a licensed Fire Alarm Maintenance company to go over local requirements, or contact the State Fire Marshall directly.
Fire Alarm Inspection Companies
Palmer Electric is a trusted Fire Alarm Maintenance company in Orlando, FL, with continuous operation in Central Florida since 1951. We are UL accredited and provide fire alarm maintenance for commercial fire alarm systems of all sizes. Our highly trained technicians understand the importance of a thorough, reliable, & efficient process for scheduling and reporting your routine fire alarm maintenance. We also provide integrated installation and monitoring services for your fire alarm and security system.
Contact us for an estimate on our commercial fire inspection and maintenance services or call us at 407) 646-8700 for more information.
