
LimWarLg.p65 01/10/2000
An automatic fi e ala m system–typically made up of smoke
detectors, heat detectors, ma ual pull statio s, audible war -
i g devices, a d a fire alarm co trol with remote otificatio
capability–ca provide early war i g of a developi g fire.
Such a system, however, does ot assure protectio agai st
property damage or loss of life resulti g from a fire.
The Ma ufacturer recomme ds that smoke a d/or heat detec-
tors be located throughout a protected premise followi g the
recomme datio s of the curre t editio of the Natio al Fire
Protectio Associatio Sta dard 72 (NFPA 72),
ma ufacturer's recomme datio s, State a d local codes, a d
the recomme datio s co tai ed i the Guide for Proper Use
of System Smoke Detectors, which is made available at o
charge to all i stalli g dealers. A study by the Federal Emer-
ge cy Ma ageme t Age cy (a age cy of the U ited States
gover me t) i dicated that smoke detectors may ot go off i
as ma y as 35% of all fires. While fire alarm systems are de-
sig ed to provide early war i g agai st fire, they do ot guar-
a tee war i g or protectio agai st fire. A fire alarm system
may ot provide timely or adequate war i g, or simply may ot
fu ctio , for a variety of reaso s:
Smoke detecto s may ot se se fire where smoke ca ot
reach the detectors such as i chim eys, i or behi d walls, o
roofs, or o the other side of closed doors. Smoke detectors
also may ot se se a fire o a other level or floor of a build-
i g. A seco d-floor detector, for example, may ot se se a
first-floor or baseme t fire.
Pa ticles of combustion o "smoke" from a developi g fire
may ot reach the se si g chambers of smoke detectors be-
cause:
• Barriers such as closed or partially closed doors, walls, or
chim eys may i hibit particle or smoke flow.
• Smoke particles may become "cold," stratify, a d ot reach
the ceili g or upper walls where detectors are located.
• Smoke particles may be blow away from detectors by air
outlets.
• Smoke detectors may be draw i to air retur s before
reachi g the detector.
The amou t of "smoke" prese t may be i sufficie t to alarm
smoke detectors. Smoke detectors are desig ed to alarm at
various levels of smoke de sity. If such de sity levels are ot
created by a developi g fire at the locatio of detectors, the
detectors will ot go i to alarm.
Smoke detectors, eve whe worki g properly, have se si g
limitatio s. Detectors that have photoelectro ic se si g
chambers te d to detect smolderi g fires better tha flami g
fires, which have little visible smoke. Detectors that have io -
izi g-type se si g chambers te d to detect fast-flami g fires
better tha smolderi g fires. Because fires develop i differ-
e t ways a d are ofte u predictable i their growth, either
type of detector is ecessarily best a d a give type of detec-
tor may ot provide adequate war i g of a fire.
Smoke detectors ca ot be expected to provide adequate
war i g of fires caused by arso , childre playi g with
matches (especially i bedrooms), smoki g i bed, a d viole t
explosio s (caused by escapi g gas, improper storage of
flammable materials, etc.).
Heat detectors do ot se se particles of combustio a d
alarm o ly whe heat o their se sors i creases at a prede-
termi ed rate or reaches a predetermi ed level. Rate-of-rise
heat detectors may be subject to reduced se sitivity over time.
For this reaso , the rate-of-rise feature of each detector
should be tested at least o ce per year by a qualified fire pro-
tectio specialist.
Heat detectors are desig ed to protect
property, ot life.
IMPORTANT!
Smoke detecto s must be i stalled i the
same room as the co trol pa el a d i rooms used by the sys-
tem for the co ectio of alarm tra smissio wiri g, commu i-
catio s, sig ali g, a d/or power.
If detectors are ot so lo-
cated, a developi g fire may damage the alarm system, crip-
pli g its ability to report a fire.
Audible wa ning devices such as bells may ot alert people
if these devices are located o the other side of closed or
partly ope doors or are located o a other floor of a buildi g.
A y war i g device may fail to alert people with a disability or
those who have rece tly co sumed drugs, alcohol or medica-
tio . Please ote that:
• Strobes ca , u der certai circumsta ces, cause seizures
i people with co ditio s such as epilepsy.
• Studies have show that certai people, eve whe they
hear a fire alarm sig al, do ot respo d or comprehe d the
mea i g of the sig al. It is the property ow er's respo sibil-
ity to co duct fire drills a d other trai i g exercise to make
people aware of fire alarm sig als a d i struct them o the
proper reactio to alarm sig als.
• I rare i sta ces, the sou di g of a war i g device ca
cause temporary or perma e t heari g loss.
A fi e ala m system will ot operate without a y electrical
power. If AC power fails, the system will operate from sta dby
batteries o ly for a specified time a d o ly if the batteries
have bee properly mai tai ed a d replaced regularly.
Equipment used in the system may ot be tech ically com-
patible with the co trol. It is esse tial to use o ly equipme t
listed for service with your co trol pa el.
Telephone lines eeded to tra smit alarm sig als from a
premise to a ce tral mo itori g statio may be out of service
or temporarily disabled. For added protectio agai st tele-
pho e li e failure, backup radio tra smissio systems are rec-
omme ded.
The most common cause of fire alarm malfu ctio is i ade-
quate mai te a ce. To keep the e tire fire alarm system i
excelle t worki g order, o goi g mai te a ce is required per
the ma ufacturer's recomme datio s, a d UL a d NFPA sta -
dards. At a mi imum, the requireme ts of Chapter 7 of NFPA
72 shall be followed. E viro me ts with large amou ts of
dust, dirt or high air velocity require more freque t mai te-
a ce. A mai te a ce agreeme t should be arra ged
through the local ma ufacturer's represe tative. Mai te a ce
should be scheduled mo thly or as required by Natio al a d/
or local fire codes a d should be performed by authorized pro-
fessio al fire alarm i stallers o ly. Adequate writte records
of all i spectio s should be kept.
While a fire alarm system may lower i sura ce
rates, it is ot a substitute for fire i sura ce!
Fi e Ala m System Limitations