What to do when fire detection systems reach the end of their life

Of all fire safety installations, your fire detection system is your first, and best, line of defence.

It is essential for detecting fire early, alerting building occupants of fire, triggering fire suppression systems and minimising property damage.

However, if your fire detection system is poorly maintained or reaching the end of its useful life it may not function as it should. This could have dire consequences for both property and people.

When fire detection systems reach the end of their life

All electrical devices have limited lifespans, including your fire detection systems. Often they last 10 years, after which time their manufacturers might stop supporting them and they stop functioning effectively with ancillary systems.

If your fire detection system is near or past the end its useful lifespan, it may:

• Be less effective at detecting early signs of fire.
• Not detect signs of fire at all.
• Not effectively trigger fire suppression systems.

It can take as little as 30 seconds for a manageable fire to turn into something uncontrollable and dangerous.

A few seconds delay could be the difference between a fire that is quickly controlled, and one that causes considerable property damage and puts people in danger.

That’s why it’s so important to regularly do fire system maintenance, understand its current condition and know when it may need to be replaced. Doing so ensures that should the worst happen, your property and your people have the best possible protection – and that you’ve fulfilled all your obligations as a building manager.

Regular maintenance & replacement with Fire & Wire

Luckily, making sure that your fire detection systems are always functioning at 100% is simple, thanks to Fire & Wire’s one-stop-shop fire safety model.

We’ll take care of everything your building needs to be safe from fire. That includes fire system installation, comprehensive testing, repairing faults and providing a maintenance and replacement schedule so that you have peace of mind knowing your system is always at its best.

You can think of us as your partner in fire safety – we’re here for the long haul to make sure your systems are working, and that they keep working.