An owner’s plans to renovate or upgrade a fire alarm system presents an opportunity to offer your services. But before jumping in with a quote, be sure to ask a few questions.

The first questions are, “Has the building been modified since the original fire alarm system installation?” and “Did the modifications cause the existing system to be not code-compliant?” For a system renovation, ask about the current system status, such as whether it has been upgraded or repaired since its initial installation. If the system is in a failed condition, what type of fire watch is present, and what deadlines has the fire official mandated for the system renovation?

Challenges during a fire alarm system upgrade may be that the building is occupied, which will slow down installation; the owner’s budget is insufficient; or the system is not code-compliant for at least the audible portion.

Know the codes

Before starting the upgrade or replacement, it’s important to perform a complete system audit. This will determine the type of system and its reporting characteristics, such as if it is monitored off-site, on-site or directly connected to the fire department and which areas of the existing system are or are not code-compliant. The audible appliance design will inevitably not be code­-compliant, especially if the occupancy is residential.

New or upgraded fire alarm systems in residential occupancies now require low-frequency audible appliances in all sleeping areas. 

NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, requires that where audible appliances are installed to provide signals for sleeping areas, they must have a sound level of “at least 15 dB above the average ambient sound level or 5 dB above the maximum sound level having a duration of at least 60 seconds or a sound level of at least 75 dBA, whichever is greater, measured at the pillow level in the area required to be served by the system using the A-weighted scale.”

If you are replacing or upgrading an residential fire alarm system, it is certain that the low-frequency horns have not been installed and the sound pressure level was not measured at the pillow level as required by the code, with barriers such as all doors closed between the audible appliance and the measuring device.

If upgrading or retrofitting a new system in a K-12 occupancy where the 2009 (or more recent) International Building Code is enforced, the new system must be an in-building fire emergency voice/alarm communications systems (EVACS). This means you will have to determine the acoustically distinguishable spaces and the changes necessary for speaker placement to ensure intelligibility. One common trap when upgrading an existing EVACS is to simply replace the horns in with loudspeakers. This design approach does not meet the code-required intelligibility.

When upgrading a system, never assume the authority having jurisdiction approved the original installation. Don’t accept a grandfather claim if the system was installed incorrectly the first time. Do ensure the upgrade is code-compliant. 

It is very important to make sure the existing equipment being upgraded is still supported by the manufacturer. Obviously, you will need to know the equipment you are adding to so that everything, including the new smoke detectors and fire alarm control unit interfaces, will be compatible with the existing system.

The whole system

In all fire alarm system installations, it is important to understand the owner’s goals and provide input and guidance to ensure it meets the code. Even if you are only upgrading a portion, the entire system becomes your responsibility, and it is important to find all the issues during a system audit. For example, are the fire alarm circuits installed in a professional and skillful manner as required by Article 760.24 of the National Electrical Code? The NEC also requires that cables and conductors installed exposed on the surface of ceilings and sidewalls be supported by the building structure in such a manner that the cable will not be damaged by normal building use and that the installation complies with Article 300.4(D).

If, based on the initial evaluation, you are unsure of the existing system’s compliance with all applicable codes, pretest of the system  before installation begins.

Avoid these common traps when upgrading or retrofitting a new fire alarm system. Remember that, ultimately, once you begin to work on the system, you are responsible for it to work properly in accordance with all the codes.

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