How Often Should Your Business Perform Fire Alarm Services?

Despite modern fire alarm systems being exceptionally advanced and reliable, there are a number of routine maintenance and periodic testing procedures that help make sure the system is functioning and ready in the event of a fire. Many businesses throughout Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri trust Getz Fire Equipment to deliver an assortment of professional inspection, maintenance, and repair services for their system. We work with applications ranging from churches and office buildings, to large retail stores, industrial plants, sports stadiums, and airports. We source both replacement parts and provide maintanence services for fire alarm systems made by:

• Siemens – Advanced Partner
• Silent Knight
• Firelite
• Secutron
• Notifier
• EST

Periodic Testing and Visual Inspections

Visual inspections of the space can reveal any blocked detectors, visibly damaged detectors, or visibly dirty and unmaintaned parts of the system. This visual inspection can help you determine faults in the system that may not otherwise be recognized by the system’s control panel. You should have professionals perform visual inspections of your entire system at least once a year, with your own maintenance staff performing weekly visual checks and logging any changes or potential issues they come across. The smoke detectors and batteries in your fire alarm system should also be visually inspected once a month or semiannually.

While visual inspections can be carried out by your building’s maintenance staff, periodic system testing procedures should be completed by certified professionals. A full test of every function within your fire alarm system should be completed once or twice a year, testing that every smoke detector and system signal is communicating correctly, all primary and backup power sources are functioning, and the system’s communication to monitoring and reponse services is reliable.

Maintenance

There are two main types of maintenance services for your system: Required maintenance as a response to a failed part or component, and preventative maintenance to avoid system failures and shut-downs in the future. Any problems detected through a visual inspection or testing should be addressed as soon as possible, as a fire safety system is a critical component to the safety of your building.

Additionally, there are some system parts that are known to degrade over time, have a limited lifespan, or may require periodic resetting or calibration for proper function. The professionals at Getz Fire Equipment know the key areas of preventative maintenance needed for every system we sell, and are dedicated to maximizing the longevity and reliable performance of your fire alarm system. Some common examples of preventative maintenance include replacing backup lead-acid batteries 5 years post manufacturing date, and regularly cleaning smoke detectors to ensure their functionality is not impacted by dirt or dust build-up.

Getz Fire Equipment offers all-encompassing fire alarm system inspection and maintenance services – dedicated to meeting the needs of multiple businesses throughout Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Family owned and operated since 1957, we continue to offer the very best in fire safety equipment systems, along with installation, maintainence, and inspection services. Our friendly staff will go above and beyond for your unique fire safety needs. Call us today at 800-747-3473, or check out our website to browse our impressive inventory.