How to Install a Fire Alarm

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A fire alarm is a key part of your home’s security. Without a working fire alarm, you may not be alerted to fires within your property or potentially harmful amounts of carbon monoxide. Unfortunately, there are many properties within which a fire alarm isn’t properly installed or maintained; something that could pose a serious health risk to those within. While we do always recommend that you get fire alarms professionally installed, having an understanding of how a fire alarm is installed can help you maintain the overall system.

Location

The first stage of a fire alarm installation is selecting a suitable location. You preferably want somewhere relatively high up as smoke and harmful gasses naturally rise toward the ceiling. There are multiple locations that may give off frequent false alarms due to being regularly exposed to steam or smoke, you should always look to keep a fire alarm away from showers, heating appliances, as well as lamps. The recommended location for a fire alarm is usually along an escape route within the home, and it’s also recommended that you install a fire alarm on each floor if you have a multiple floor property.

Installation

Take your fire alarm and remove the front panel, there should be slots for screws clearly outlined which indicate where the alarm should be screwed into the ceiling or wall. Make sure the alarm is properly installed and won’t fall even when shaken.

Please note – depending on where you’re installing your fire alarm, you may need to make use of special wall plugs. Stability is vital for a fire alarm so make sure that your method of installation fits the wall or ceiling.

Activating the Alarm

Depending on the fire alarm model you’re using, the method for activating the alarm may vary slightly. Power sources come first – you need to discern whether your alarm runs off batteries or needs to be connected to property mains. Most commonly, fire alarms run off batteries and will simply need a fresh pair inserted to get them working.

From here on you might want to test the alarm to make sure it’s working as should. Press the test button on the front of your alarm to make sure it’s set up correctly; avoiding any issues, the alarm should now be good to go. Press the main button on the interface and you should see some indication that your home is now protected.

Please note – For regular fire alarms making use of batteries, you may wish to keep an eye out for the ‘Batteries Low’ light. This serves as an indicator that you may need to swap them out before they are unable to deliver the same level of functionality.

Contact MT Electrical for Domestic Electrical Services

Get in touch with our professional team at MT Electrical for domestic electrical services as well as any other electrical requirements that you may have. Call 07813 137236 or use our contact form.