Fire Alarm Maintenance Services

Our Fire Maintenance Services

Fire maintenance testing is not simply a case of checking whether an item of equipment, alarm call point or emergency lighting unit functions – the process involves a thorough assessment, including:

• Testing every component using control panels, heat and smoke detectors and electrical devices to check each aspect is performing to expectations.
• Inspections of batteries or backup power supplies, replacing battery systems as required where they have become depleted or less reliable.
• Checking the first alarm sounder to ensure suitability
• Cleaning and servicing, where detectors and filters may become less efficient due to dust. Particles may obstruct their ability to detect fire, smoke and risk factors such as elevated heat.
• Visual checks to highlight any part of the building that does not comply with fire standards as set by BS5839-1:2013
• Technical updates, where alarm systems are dependent on software to operate or require an upgrade.

Once maintenance work is complete, our engineers provide a copy of the maintenance log indicating the tasks carried out and when the next inspection is due. Technicians can also complete emergency repairs or provide advisory notices where action is needed to replace components no longer fit for purpose.

Emergency Lighting Systems Maintenance

Lighting systems are imperative during an emergency evacuation. They can be key to protecting life for properties with complex layouts and multiple stairwells, entry and exit routes, or internal areas that do not receive natural sunlight.

As with fire alarm systems, lighting should be tested twice a year, and in some cases more frequently, and maintained following the requirements of BS 5266-1:1999. An emergency lighting visit includes:

• Discharge testing, usually split into a three-hour test on visit one and a one-hour test on visit two – although this can vary depending on the risk profile of the site.
• Electrical and visual tests to ensure chargers, battery systems, generators and other backup power sources are suitably equipped to provide highly visible evacuation lighting for at least the maximum expected evacuation time from the furthest point.
• Building checks to look for changes to the layout, usage or activities, or damage and wear and tear to lighting units or cabling that require attention.

Testing your lighting system means that everybody within the premises can evacuate quickly and safely without confusion in either a power outage or an emergency.

The Importance of Professional Fire Maintenance

Every device or system within your fire protection approach should be tested at regular intervals. Extinguishers past their expiry date, piping or ducting that has become worn or damaged, or alarm systems and call points that have become disconnected can substantially increase the potential for a fire outbreak to cause significant losses.

Maintenance is also a crucial aspect of fulfilling your duties as an employer, site manager or owner to safeguard the well-being of every individual present when a fire occurs and ensure that insurance coverage remains valid. Essentially, maintenance gives you the absolute confidence that your fire alarms and systems can accurately and quickly detect a fire, assuring swift evacuations.

Clearway’s fire maintenance services cover every element of your fire safety provision. Visits can be timed to correspond with the necessary frequency of appraisals, depending on regulations, the nature of the building, and the exact systems you have in place.

While annual maintenance is often mandatory, more regular inspections may be necessary for higher-risk settings. We also advise every fire safety manager to ensure all maintenance and appraisals are completed by certified professionals with the expertise needed to identify potential issues, faults or malfunctions and provide the proper advice to improve, replace or repair equipment or systems to ensure they are working perfectly.