Commercial Smoke Alarm Maintenance Tips

8/31/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is here to help restore your property when fire damage strikes.

It has proven that routine maintenance of smoke alarms saves lives. In this post, we will go over the importance of smoke alarms in commercial buildings.

Before we dive in, we ask to make sure that you check that your properties smoke alarms to ensure that they are all currently working. 

Are Smoke Alarms Required In Commercial Buildings? 

To simply answer this question is Yes. It is required that all commercial buildings have a fully functional smoke detector in each room and hallway of the commercial structure. The commercial smoke detectors will have a tag that shows when it was last maintained and the date on when the batteries were replaced.  

How does a Smoke detector detect a fire? 

The initial function of a smoke detector is to detect when a fire is present. There are two types of smoke detectors found in commercial buildings, photoelectric, and ionization. 

1) A photoelectric model smoke detector has a light source that goes into the sensing chamber. When smoke enters, it causes light to reflect onto the sensor, triggering the smoke alarm. These units are used best at detecting smoldering fires that start with heavy smoke. These types of alarms are best located in a bedroom or living room or family room.

2) An ionization model smoke detector uses radioactive material positioned between two electrically charged plates to ionize the air inside. The air creates a current flow between two plates, and when smoke disrupts the ion flow, the alarm will set off. These detectors respond quickly with smoke and flames. These types of smoke alarms are best located in a utility room or in a kitchen.

Top 5 Best brands for commercial fire alarm smoke detectors 

1. Honeywell
2. Edwards Signaling Solutions
3. Siemens Fire Safety Solutions
4. Tyco Fire Alarms
5. Bosch Fire Safety Solutions

These are the top five brands that we have seen used in the Metro Atlanta area. However, many other smoke detector brands are also highly rated. 

Did you know that smoke alarms should be checked monthly?

Commercial property owners need to make it a requirement to routinely check the property's smoke alarms once a month. It is an integral part of a fire safety plan. 

The National Fire Prevention Association  has provided us the following information for smoke alarms:

• Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Simply press the test button to ensure that the alarm is working.
• Smoke alarms should be on the ceiling or high up on a wall.
• There are specifically designed smoke alarms for those individuals that are hard-of-hearing or deaf.
• Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years.
• The technology that has been developed in today's commercial smoke alarms can quickly signal a multitude of fire conditions. 

Here is a Baker Mayfield smoke alarm commercial featuring Quarterback Baker Mayfield in the browns stadium trying to figure out where the smoke detector sound is located. If you notice the commercial smoke detector is in a great location, on the ceiling.  

In this post, we have included a few examples of how to maintain a smoke alarm and the two different types. Before we end this post we need to mention that it is also a good idea to review your fire safety plan and practice evacuation twice a year. Ensure that everyone in the commercial building knows the plan and knows where to meet outside. SERVPRO of South Cobb offers a free Emergency Ready Plan for the next time fire damage strikes. 

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