In conversations with electrical contractors, I often hear that they feel installing a fire alarm system is a constant hassle. In their opinion, there are always issues with the system completion, and it is one of the primary reasons the certificate of occupancy (CO) is held up. I commiserate but have told many of them that they are their own worst enemy. For some reason, contractors believe they can save money and add to their profit margin by using a low-cost fire alarm system. 

Typically, they start by buying a low-price system with no support when trying to save 10% or 20% (or more) on a fire alarm system worth much less than their multithousand-dollar electrical contract. Part of this process involves substituting nonspecified equipment and including that in the “price savings” shown to the owner. 

Of course, they miss the fact that the fire protection engineer has explained why the specified equipment should be used and is now put on the defensive. If you are successful in substituting the equipment, you will find out during the pre-acceptance test overseen by the fire protection engineer why that was a mistake. You will most assuredly be required to make changes to meet the original specification’s intent.

Unless you have well–trained fire alarm system technicians on staff, you will need support to install the technically advanced fire alarm systems available today. The second mistake contractors make is by having their newest technicians, with little to no fire alarm system experience, in charge of the system installation.

Know your AHJ

Assuming the fire alarm system will be approved by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) is another issue. You do not know the history between the fire alarm supplier and the AHJ. If it is not positive, that will cause issues during the acceptance test. The AHJ already knows why they do not like the supplier, and you will pay the price for that. You, of course, could avoid this problem by sitting down with the AHJ before you buy the substitute equipment and discussing how they want the system installed and if the equipment has negative history in the jurisdiction. 

Know your code requirements

Another issue is lack of knowledge of the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. The fire protection engineer has designed the system in accordance with the code, and the substitute equipment supplier may be playing fast and loose with code applications to keep prices low. Obviously, this issue will raise its ugly head during acceptance testing and could cause you major cost implications. 

Know your equipment

Another point I make is that these contractors typically wait too long to order the fire alarm equipment and do not ask the vendor if there are long lead times. A major issue can be avoided if you ask the vendor if there are multiple projects being completed at the same time and whether that will affect the system programming for your project. This is a significant problem in the industry because most fire alarm vendors fail to invest in training enough of their technicians on the proper programming techniques for the systems they sell. Therefore, they will not have a programmer for your system if many projects finish at the same time.

If your system has multiple locations of notification appliance power supplies, you should be aware of the requirements to protect these appliances. Make sure your low-bid vendor has understood this as well. Otherwise, you will be responsible for changing the wiring configuration of the signaling line circuits to accommodate additional smoke detectors in each power supply area.

Waiting to install the fire alarm system at the last minute will most definitely affect the building’s certificate of occupancy because the slightest hiccup in the fire alarm system operation or approval will delay it. 

If you are now waiting for the fire alarm control unit because it has a long lead time, for example, you will be the focus of the owner’s ire because they cannot occupy the building. At this point, you will realize the low-bid purchase was a real mistake.

One final point: your technicians may decide to install the smoke detectors in the building before all the trades are finished to get a jump on the system installation.

NFPA 72 has this to say about the practice: “17.7.2.3 Where detection is not required during new construction, detectors shall not be installed until after all other construction trades have completed cleanup.”

So, your techs need to know it is against the code to install the smoke detectors too early. All of these hiccups can be avoided. Think about them when you are buying your next system.

stock.adobe.com/Stuart Miles