Selecting and Maintaining Smoke Detectors

Fire and life safety engineers can avoid common problems by properly designing, installing, and maintaining ionization and photoelectric smoke detectors.
By AJ Sevast, SET, Consultant, RJA Group, Greenwood Village, Colo. -- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 7/1/2008

Smoke detectors can have a lifecycle of up to 20 years if certain design and installation recommendations are followed and if annual maintenance is performed for each detector. Given the tight budget of many companies in today's economy, a reliable fire system can be one less budget issue and one less concern for the owner, operator, or lessee.
Generally, when fire systems fail, it is due to lack of planning and maintenance. The following describes common problems associated with detectors that can be avoided at different phases of fire system design, installation, and maintenance. (Read More.... )