System design
The right category of system for the building, based on the fire risk assessment and how the premises are used.
Fire alarm systems
A fire alarm designed, serviced and properly recorded
For businesses and building managers who need a new fire alarm, an upgrade or servicing that is actually up to date. You get a system that suits the risk and the paperwork to prove it.
A fire alarm system is usually the most important safety system in a building, and one of the easiest to let slip. Servicing gets missed when a contractor changes, faults sit on the panel for weeks, and nobody is quite sure whether the system still matches the fire risk assessment. We design, install, commission and service fire alarm systems to BS 5839-1, the code of practice for non-domestic premises.
For a new system on a fit-out, an upgrade to an ageing panel or a change of servicing contractor, the work is specified against your fire risk assessment and priced as one proposal. The certificates and service records go straight into your fire logbook.
Why 3S
- One contract, one point of contact
- A plan within 48 hours
- Photo-verified sign-off against the spec
- Funding available on the work
Fire alarm systems
What our fire alarm service includes
Installation
Detectors, sounders, call points and panel installed by a vetted, SSIP-accredited subcontractor from our panel.
Commissioning and handover
The system tested end to end, with design, installation and commissioning certificates issued.
Periodic servicing
Inspection and servicing at intervals recommended by BS 5839-1, normally no more than six months apart.
Fault and false alarm response
Faults investigated and fixed, and repeat false alarms traced to their cause rather than silenced.
Remote monitoring
Connection to an alarm receiving centre where the risk or the insurer calls for it.
Upgrades and replacement
Ageing or obsolete panels replaced and coverage extended when the layout changes.
Logbook and weekly test support
Your logbook set up and your team shown how to run the weekly call point test.
Fire alarm systems and BS 5839-1
BS 5839-1 is the British Standard for fire detection and fire alarm systems in non-domestic premises. It sets out categories of system: M for manual systems using call points, L1 to L5 for systems designed to protect life, and P1 and P2 for systems designed to protect property. The fire risk assessment should drive the choice, and insurers sometimes specify a category too.
The standard recommends periodic inspection and servicing by a competent person at intervals of no more than six months, and a weekly test by the user, operating a different manual call point each week and recording it in the logbook. Anything the engineer finds should be recorded, along with any variations from the standard that have been agreed.
Common fire alarm problems
Detectors covered during decorating and never uncovered. New partitions that leave rooms without detection. Faults acknowledged at the panel and forgotten. A system designed for the old layout. Frequent false alarms that teach staff to ignore the sounders. Each of these undermines the fire risk assessment, and each one is picked up at a proper service visit.
How it works
Three steps, one point of contact
Step 1
Tell us what you have
Share the building, the existing system if there is one, and your latest service record or fire risk assessment. Most requirements are matched within 48 hours.
Step 2
Survey, specify and price
We survey the building and specify the system or remedial works against BS 5839-1. You get one proposal, one number and funding alongside it.
Step 3
Install, commission and service
The work is carried out by a vetted subcontractor, commissioned and certificated. Servicing is then scheduled so visits are never missed.
Funding
Spread the cost
A new fire alarm or a full panel replacement is a significant capital cost, often arriving at short notice. It can be spread over a fixed term through our sister business, Novora Asset Finance™, so the system goes in now rather than waiting for next year's budget. Finance is subject to status and credit approval, and Novora sets out the terms, total cost and any fees before you commit.
Evidence
How the work is evidenced
Installation work is photographed on completion and checked against the specification before sign-off. Design, installation and commissioning certificates, plus every service report, are filed with your fire logbook, so the history of the system is in one place.
Questions
Fire alarm systems: common questions
How often should a fire alarm be serviced?
BS 5839-1 recommends periodic inspection and servicing at intervals of no more than six months. Your fire risk assessment or insurer may ask for more frequent visits in some buildings.
Do we need to test the fire alarm ourselves?
Yes. BS 5839-1 recommends a weekly test, operating a different manual call point each week so they are all tested in rotation, with the result written in the logbook. We will show your team how.
What category of fire alarm do I need?
It depends on the building, how it is used and who is in it, which is what the fire risk assessment establishes. A small office may need a basic system, while premises where people sleep need much more automatic detection.
Can you take over servicing of an existing system?
Usually, yes. We check the panel make and the existing records, then carry out a full inspection so any faults or gaps are recorded from the start.
Do you install wireless fire alarms?
Yes, where they suit the building. Wireless systems avoid cabling in listed buildings or occupied premises, and are designed to the same standard as wired systems.
Related services
Often needed alongside this
Fire risk assessments
For employers, landlords and managing agents who need a fire risk assessment they can rely on. You get a documented assessment and a priced plan for every action.
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Read more →Asset financeFor businesses that need plant, vehicles, IT or equipment without handing over the full price on day one. The cost is spread into fixed monthly payments, arranged through Novora Asset Finance™.
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