Testing fire alarm systems regularly is a necessity, but are you doing it correctly? According to official British fire safety regulations, your fire alarm should be tested weekly. On top of this, a full fire alarm system inspection should be carried out once every six months.
Below, we’ll look at how often you should be testing the alarms in your building, who’s responsible, and how to test them.
Testing Fire Alarm Systems
There are two types of fire alarm system: manual and automatic. A manual fire alarm is operated by a series of break glass points, which are installed at the building’s exits. These are more common in public buildings. Automatic fire alarms detect heat, smoke, or carbon dioxide anomalies and start the alarm on their own.
Testing Manual Fire Alarms
Before testing your manual fire alarms, read the manufacturer’s instructions and inform any staff that you will be carrying out the test. Make sure that you also have a manual call point reset key, so that you can reset the alarm once it’s been activated.
If the alarm is connected to an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre), call the ARC and put the system on ‘test’. Activate the call point you want to test, and if the alarm has been sounded, reset the call point. Check that the correct zone was activated on the control panel, and if everything looks correct, turn off the sounders and reset the control panel.
Finally, record the test, call the ARC to confirm that they received the signal, and turn the alarm off ‘test’.
The person responsible for the building is also legally responsible for ensuring that a professional carries out these routine checks.
How to Test a Smoke Alarm
At home, your automatic fire alarm is likely to be a smoke detector. Most of the time, these look like a round, white disc with an LED light on the side.
Most smoke alarms will have a test button on the hood, which tests the power of the device. If you can’t see it, you might have to unscrew the device from the ceiling, as the button could be on the back. Testing the power on modern devices will also test the particle and smoke sensors, so this is the only test you’ll have to do.
If you have a slightly older style of alarm, light a few matches under the detector and blow them out so that the smoke rises and tests the smoke detector. You can also use a smoke test aerosol spray to test the particle sensor in your detector. If the alarm does not go off for either of those things, you may need to replace your smoke detector.
Once you’ve completed the tests, use a handheld vacuum to suck up the smoke and aerosol particles. Make sure that you reset your alarm after each test by holding down the test button for about 15 seconds.
How to Test a Carbon Monoxide Detector
Most carbon monoxide detectors will have a test button, making them easy to test. It will be slightly different for each model, so make sure to read the manual for your specific detector.
You can also do a crisis test on your detector to ensure it will pick up low levels of carbon monoxide. Hold the test button and hold a candle or lit incense stick 15cm below the detector. You can also use a CO2 detector aerosol to do the same thing, which is safer than using an open flame.
You should test your carbon monoxide alarm once a month, and replace the batteries within it every six months.
Stay Safe with Label Source
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