Before finishing your test, walk away from the alarm to see how loud it is. If you cannot hear the alarm in the next room over, it may not be loud enough to keep you safe. For modern devices, testing the power will also test the particle and smoke sensors, making further tests unnecessary.
When the test is finished, use a handheld vacuum to suck remaining aerosol particles out of the air near the detector. Then, if it is still dirty, clean the device with a soft cloth or brush.
Be careful when handling matches to avoid burning your hands. After the test, suck up the smoke with a handheld vacuum. If the detector is dirty, clean it with a brush or soft cloth.
If you’re trying to reset multiple hardwired alarms, try simplifying the process by flipping the circuit breakers connected to each alarm.
For some alarm systems, you can set your control panel to a Test mode, meaning it will not call the fire department. Check your alarm’s instruction manual for information on how to do this.
In addition to the alarm simply turning on, make sure the sounds coming out of the device are loud (at least 15 dB louder than ambient noise) and any strobe lights located on the device are active. [8] X Trustworthy Source National Fire Protection Association Nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. Go to source Any and all fire doors must self-close to allow for safe isolation of smoke. If the fire door does not close properly, then you will need to have it serviced. There may be an obstruction or broken mechanism keeping the door open. The majority of fire-related injuries and deaths are caused by smoke inhalation, and a non-functioning fire door can pose a danger to occupants evacuating. All elevators in service should recall to the ground or sky lobby floor automatically and enter fire service. This will allow firefighters to use the lifts to quickly ascend or descend to the level of the fire to allow for firefighting and rescue operations. The firefighter hat should also illuminate in the event that an alarm is triggered in the hoistway, machine room, or outside one of the landing doors. This can be reset later by turning the fire service switch from “off” to “bypass” or “reset” and then back to “off”. Security doors must unlock from the inside to allow for a quick evacuation of the facility. Emergency lighting and exit signage must illuminate to allow for visibility even in the event of thick, dark smoke or a power cut.
Some modern alarms can connect directly to your phone, creating reports automatically. However, you should still check the alarms in person to make sure the reports are accurate.
If you do not have a fire alarm technician on staff, search online for a local engineer or technician that specializes in fire alarms. NICET allows you to search local engineers by name to see if they are certified.
