In the bidding process of most projects, you are busy enough supplying only what is on the drawings (if you are lucky enough to get them) and the owner’s admonishment to “just meet code.” The owner is somehow convinced that meeting the minimum code requirements will ultimately be the cheapest way to handle the system’s installation. This is not the case.

The goal when performing fire alarm system installations is to become the owner’s trusted advisor. And when it comes to fire detection, providing more than the minimum—for new and existing buildings—can be the owner’s better option. So, the obvious question is now: why do I believe providing more detection than required serves the owner’s best interests?

Protect the investment

The foremost reason is the heavy investment in the initial building construction. Two leading causes of loss of life or property are delayed notification to the occupants and the fire department.

Knowing that the replacement costs for a building increase starting the first day it is occupied, the owner should want to protect their investment. Don’t look for excuses in any code to make installing fewer smoke detectors acceptable.

As my friend and colleague Tom Hammerberg explained in “Required Versus Nonrequired Systems,” (ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, January 2024) regarding nonrequired fire alarm systems, “if you install any devices, they must be installed the same as if they were required,” with the single exception of smoke detectors. He mentioned the possible liability to you should a fire happen because you followed that code exception, and that adding smoke detectors would be a better policy to follow.

To provide early warning, you need to install more smoke detectors, not fewer. Key to these issues is the ability to “upsell” the owner, not by counting smoke detectors, but by reviewing the cost benefit to adding more complete smoke detection in the building. I suggest learning more about smoke detection, how smoke travels in a space, the concerns with high ceilings and HVAC systems and how best to apply this early-warning device. 

How smoke travels

The ability of smoke to travel will be dependent on what is burning and how hot the fire is. The fire’s heat is what drives smoke up toward the detector. Knowing this, it’s apparent why a fire must be larger for detection to occur in a high-ceiling environment. And HVAC systems will only affect smoke movement when those systems are operating.

High ceilings and HVAC systems are just two of the many factors affecting smoke detection. Another might be if the fire started in a rack storage system, which impedes smoke from traveling from the fire source to the smoke detector.

By working to better understand smoke movement and detection, you will be better able to discuss why the customer should add more smoke detection in their facility.

Many times, I have had the customer tell me that because the fire department is located “down the street” from their building, additional detection will be a waste of money. They convince themselves the fire department response will be quick enough to put out the fire while it is still small. Some initial work can help them with their decision.

Lay the groundwork first

I can assure you that all fire departments are not created equal. Indeed, a short discussion with the fire chief may reveal that their response time is longer than the customer believed. The longer the response time to the initial fire by first responders, the larger and more damaging the fire will be. Additionally, the fire department’s initial response time may be short, but the first arriving engines may only have two or three first responders whose initial work will be to lay out the hoses and connect them to the nearest fire hydrants (which will take even longer if the hydrants are not close by)—all of this before they can get into the building, locate the fire and begin suppression activities.

So, the goal of more smoke detection is to reduce the time to get the fire department to the building. On one project where the owner pushed back on more detection because the fire department was nearby, the fire chief told me that the fire house in question had no personnel stationed at it. The first responders had to get to the fire house before they could respond to the building. Once I pointed this out to the owner, he quickly and positively responded to adding more smoke detection to his facility.

The question I often ask is, “What do you want to have left after the fire?” This question will focus the owner on the realities afforded by more smoke detection. Do your homework and take the time to communicate with the owner before simply installing what was specified. Your bottom line will thank you!

stock.adobe.com / Daniel Berkmann