Common Questions
Commercial Fire Alarm FAQs
The questions we get asked most about commercial fire alarm inspection, repair, monitoring and compliance in the Sacramento area.
Straight answers, and where they run out
Some of these have a general answer that holds most of the time. Others genuinely depend on your building, and a web page that pretends otherwise is not doing you a favour.
Where the answer depends on your occupancy type or your local authority having jurisdiction, it says so. In those cases call (916) 970-0199 with the building type and you will get a specific answer rather than a hedge.
Inspection, testing and compliance
How often does a commercial fire alarm need inspection?
Typically fire alarm systems need to be inspected on an annual basis. NFPA 72 sets the frequencies for inspection and testing of each component, and some components are on a more frequent schedule than the system as a whole. Most state and local jurisdictions have adopted NFPA 72 as the requirement for alarm inspections, and your authority having jurisdiction may ask for more. Call (916) 970-0199 with your building type and we will tell you what applies to you.
What does a fire alarm inspection actually involve?
Two technicians: one at the fire alarm control panel and a second checking all attached components for operability. Every device is tested individually and verified at the panel — the control panel, horns and strobes, manual pull stations, smoke detectors and fire doors. See fire alarm inspection.
What happens if I failed a fire inspection or got a correction notice?
Bring us the notice. It lists what the inspector found and gives you a date to fix it by. We read the notice, inspect the system to find out what is actually wrong, correct the items that fall under the fire alarm scope, and give you the documentation showing the work was done and tested so you can close it out with your authority having jurisdiction.
Faults, trouble signals and repairs
My panel is showing a trouble signal. What should I do?
Do not silence it and leave it. A trouble signal means the panel has lost a device, a circuit or its communication path, and the system may not be able to report an actual alarm. Note the exact text on the panel display and call (916) 970-0199 — that wording usually tells us whether it is a battery, a device or a communication fault.
Why does my system keep sending false alarms?
Most often a detector at the end of its service life, one placed somewhere it was always going to struggle, or an intermittent wiring fault. It is worth fixing properly rather than living with, because repeated false alarms train people to ignore the system. See fire alarm repair.
Do you work on systems another company installed?
Yes. We offer testing, fire protection services and commercial fire alarm repairs for every system we sell and most other alarms on the market. If nobody has documented what is in your building for a few years, that documentation is the first thing we produce.
Monitoring
Will you give us a bid if we already have an alarm vendor?
Yes. Even if you already have an alarm vendor, we can offer a bid to give you more complete and convenient assistance. We also do existing alarm evaluations, which is worth doing before committing to a replacement you may not need.
Does my fire alarm need to be monitored?
For most commercial occupancies, yes — but what applies to your building depends on its occupancy type and your local authority having jurisdiction. Call us with the building type rather than guessing from a web page. See fire alarm monitoring.
My alarm reports over a phone line. Is that a problem?
It is becoming one. Copper phone lines are being retired, and an alarm that cannot reach the central station is not protecting anything. The replacement is a cellular or IP communicator. See POTS line retirement.
Working with us
How long does an inspection take?
It depends on device count, not square footage. A small suite with one panel and a dozen devices is a short visit. A multi-storey building with several hundred devices takes considerably longer, because every device gets individually tested. We give you an estimate up front once we know what is installed.
Do you charge for estimates?
No. Free estimates on every job. Call or email us for an appointment.
What areas do you cover?
Sacramento, Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties — including Sacramento, Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom, West Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Galt, Davis, Woodland, Rocklin and Lincoln, with the same range of work everywhere. See service areas.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. We are NFPA 72 certified, as well as licensed and insured. Our electrical contractor licence is CSLB #1041565.
What are your hours?
Call or email us for an appointment — (916) 970-0199 or info@solution1inc.com.
Question not answered here?
Call or email us for an appointment. Free estimates on every job.