Commercial property owners should consider installing a fire alarm hard-wired into their building’s existing low voltage electrical system. A fire is a catastrophic event that can lead to the loss of life and overwhelming damage to your property. Prevention is always the key. Property owners need to install a fire alarm system that will alert the occupants and the fire department as soon as possible.
Hard-wired and wireless fire alarms seem to be the alarm systems getting the most attention from commercial building owners. Choosing the right fire alarm system is a crucial business decision that owners and managers must make to protect their investment.
What Is a Hard-wired Fire Alarm?
A fire alarm hard wired is an alarm that is wired directly into your commercial building’s low voltage electrical system. These alarms typically have a backup battery in case of power outages.
Benefits of a Hard-wired Fire Alarm
There are many benefits of a hard-wired fire alarm.
Two Power Sources
The most important benefit of a fire alarm hard wired is that it has two sources of power. You have double the protection. As long as you have electricity, the fire alarm is active. The backup battery will keep your fire alarm working efficiently when the power is interrupted.
Interconnectivity
Hard-wired fire alarms can be linked, which is especially beneficial in a commercial building. When one alarm sounds, every alarm will sound. This alarm could save lives if people are spread out over a large area or multiple floors.
Visual Alarm
Another benefit of fire alarms hard-wired is that they can be linked with strobe lights. Strobe lights will alert people who are deaf and hard of hearing or working in noisy environments.
Heat Detectors
Hard-wired fire alarms have built-in heat sensors that are much more advanced than they once were. These heat sensors must experience the heat before they alert, which minimizes false alarms.
Reliability
Fire alarms hard-wired into your building are the most reliable alarms on the market right now. These alarms will be actively working at all times as opposed to wireless fire alarms that depend on wireless coverage to communicate with the control panel. If there is a problem or a weak signal with the wireless network, the fire alarms will not be working correctly, and this inefficiency will cause a drain on the battery.
How Many Hard-wired Fire Alarms Should I Install?
The purpose of a fire alarm is to alert people to the danger of fire. Once a fire has started, it takes on a life of its own, and time is of the essence. Smoke detectors and fire alarms hard-wired will save lives. As a commercial building owner, you are responsible for your employees’ and customers’ safety. The more fire alarms you have installed, the safer everyone will be.
The placement of fire alarms must follow building codes. The National Fire Protection Association recommends putting alarms on each floor and stairway, and one alarm covers an area of approximately 21 square feet.
You should install alarms in hallways, offices, storage areas, bathrooms, and indoor parking areas. The budget should not be a concern when it comes to protecting your building and the lives of your employees and customers. The more alarms you have installed, the better your property will be better protected.
How To Install Hard-wired Fire Alarms?
In a commercial building, the installation of fire alarms hard-wired will require a licensed low voltage electrician. Any maintenance and repairs will also have to be done by a licensed low voltage electrician.
Why Is My Hard-wired Fire Alarm Beeping?
The battery-operated fire alarms are well known for their beeping when the battery is dead. You may also hear beeping from your hard-wired fire alarm, and there can be several reasons for this.
Backup Battery
You may find that the backup battery is getting weak. The backup battery might need to be replaced. Your alarm will start to beep, letting you know the battery is running low. This is the easiest fix, and you need to replace the battery. Scheduling battery replacements regularly will prevent any beeping.
Dust
The fire alarms are installed on ceilings or walls and will inevitably accumulate dust. The alarm will start to beep when dust finds its way into the sensing chamber, and this dust can cause false alarms. It is essential to shut off the power to your fire alarm before cleaning the dust.
Old or Malfunction
Beeping might be a sign that the fire alarm is getting old. Fire alarms hard-wired typically last about ten years, and then they need to be replaced. If it is a newer model, it might be a good idea to have a professional inspect it to determine the problem.
Why Install Hard-wired Fire Alarms in Commercial Buildings?
Fire alarms hard-wired are far superior to battery-operated fire alarms, and they detect fires earlier than the battery models. Time is critical when it comes to fire. The faster the fire department can be notified, the less destruction a fire can do to your commercial building, and it can save lives. Seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
Hard-wired alarms will require less maintenance than battery-operated alarms. Keeping a record and replacing the backup batteries regularly is a good idea. Regular cleanings should also be scheduled. You will have to have inspections and testing routinely done to ensure that your fire alarm system is working correctly. Licensed fire protection technicians must perform inspections depending on the type of system your building has.
Fire alarms are essential if you want to protect your building and its occupants. Commercial property owners are legally responsible for installing a fire alarm system that meets the building codes. When fire alarms do not work correctly, property owners can face legal challenges that can be devastating.
Choosing to upgrade your fire alarm system to a hard-wired system is one of the best decisions you will ever make. Investing in the safety and protection of your building and its occupants will guarantee peace of mind. The new system will also help when dealing with your insurance agent.
