A fire alarm system is a critical life safety component of any building. As a result, it’s essential that your fire alarm system be inspected and maintained on an annual basis to ensure that the system is operating as intended. These inspections are also used to reveal deficiencies within the building’s fire alarm system.
Fire alarm inspections are required to ensure that all existing alarms are compliant with the Ontario Fire Code. This code requires that a fire alarm system, with or without voice communication capability must be inspected and tested in conformance with CAN/ULC-S536.
What Happens During a Fire Alarm Inspection?
Prior to the inspection beginning, the attending Service Technician must notify the monitoring station of the inspection and testing in order to avoid initiating a false alarm.
Once the testing begins, our Service Technicians will use various methods and devices to ensure all of the components of the fire alarm system are in working order. These items include:
- Fire alarm panel
- Annunciators
- Manual Pull Stations
- Smoke and heat detectors
- Sprinkler Flow Switches, Low Pressure Switches and Valves
- Audible Devices
- Strobes
- Batteries
- Fire doors
- Elevator recall
- Fan shutdown
- Elevators
- Flow and tamper switches, and low-pressure alarms
- Supervised control valves and switches
Additional items inspected annually but are not part of the Fire Alarm System:
- Smoke and CO Alarms
- Fire Extinguishers
- Emergency and exit lighting
Completing the appropriate tests will ensure that all Ontario Fire Code requirements are met, and will help to identify any deficiencies that might inhibit the functionality of the system or its devices.
Upon completion of the inspection, you will be provided a full report, which will include deficiency solutions that will allow you to maintain the system’s certification in accordance with the Ontario Fire Code.
How long does a fire alarm inspection take?
A fire alarm inspection timespan will vary depending on the size of the facility and the number of devices involved. Smaller systems may take as little as a few hours, whereas a large facility with complex systems may take upwards of a month or more to complete. In order to determine the approximate length of your fire alarm inspection, have your service provider complete a site visit.
Learn More
Regardless of whether your building is in the construction phase or is an existing facility, Bulldog Fire and Security can provide inspection, service, and installation services for you.
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Contact Us
For over 20 years, Bulldog Fire and Security has been an industry leader in fire alarm and security services, having designed, installed, inspected, and serviced a variety of systems across Southwestern, Ontario.
If you’re interested in learning more about fire alarm systems and the services we can provide, call us at 1 866 513 2881, email info@bulldogsecurity.ca, or fill out the contact form below.