TL;DR: To prepare your building for a fire alarm inspection, start two to three weeks ahead. Pull last year’s report, clear any trouble signals, get keys to every space, and line up elevator and HVAC trades. Then notify occupants and confirm the monitoring account will be placed on test. Under NFPA 72 the building owner is responsible for the system, so this prep is on you even when a contractor does the testing.
To prepare your building for a fire alarm inspection, pull last year’s report, clear any open trouble signals, and give the technician access to every device. Line up your elevator and HVAC trades, then tell occupants and your monitoring center the date. Most of this takes a few hours spread over two to three weeks.
This prep falls to the building side. Under NFPA 72, the owner is responsible for inspection, testing and maintenance of the fire alarm system, even when a contractor does the testing. This guide covers what to do before the technician shows up. If you want to know what gets tested device by device, see our annual fire alarm inspection checklist for Colorado properties.
How do you prepare your building for a fire alarm inspection?
Start two to three weeks out and work through these steps in order.
- Book a time that fits your building. Horns will sound and strobes will flash for much of the visit. Offices often pick early mornings. Retail, medical and residential HOA buildings may need testing at a quieter time. Ask how long the visit will take for a system your size.
- Find last year’s report and any open deficiencies. Colorado’s Division of Fire Prevention and Control tells its inspectors to review fire alarm testing reports and check that every device is listed individually. If last year’s report listed a failed detector or weak batteries, make sure the fix was done. Keep the repair invoice with the report.
- Walk to the panel and look. The fire alarm control panel should show normal, with no trouble or supervisory lights. Open the documents box next to the panel. It should hold drawings, the sequence of operations and past reports. Write down anything missing.
- Get access to every device. Collect keys or access cards for tenant suites, electrical and mechanical rooms, elevator machine rooms, roof hatches and locked closets. Move stored boxes away from pull stations and detectors. Tell your technician about high ceilings in warehouses or atriums so they bring the right lift.
- Line up other trades. The fire alarm often controls other systems: elevator recall, HVAC fan shutdown, door hold-open magnets, and sprinkler flow and tamper switches. NFPA 72 requires testing the relay the alarm triggers, but testing the elevator or fan itself is outside its scope. So your elevator company or building engineer may need to be on site.
- Notify everyone who will hear or receive signals. Send tenants and staff a notice a few days ahead and post signs at the entrances on the day. Guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health stresses that all affected parties be notified before any scheduled testing, including occupants and the monitoring company. Most cities in the Denver area adopt the International Fire Code with local amendments. Ask your authority having jurisdiction whether it wants notice too.
- Confirm how your panel sends signals. Find out if your system uses copper phone lines, cellular or radio. Many older Denver commercial buildings still send alarm signals over copper lines. If a line was cut during a remodel or dropped by the phone company, the communication test will fail. Cellular and IP communicators replace those lines.
- Assign one contact for inspection day. Pick a person who has keys, can approve small repairs and will answer the phone. Before the technician leaves, they should confirm the account is off test with the monitoring center and ask when the written report will be ready.
What should your fire alarm panel show before inspection day?
It should show normal, with only the power light on. Any other light means something needs attention before the inspection, not during it. State guidance tells inspectors to note trouble lights and ask the facility about them.
| Panel shows | What it usually means | What to do before inspection day |
|---|---|---|
| Normal (power light only) | System is quiet and supervised | Nothing. Write down the date you checked. |
| Trouble | A fault in wiring, a device, the batteries or the communicator | Call for service now. Do not wait for the inspection. |
| Supervisory | Something monitored is off-normal, such as a closed sprinkler valve or low air on a dry system | Find the cause. On dry and pre-action systems, check the air compressor. |
| Silenced signal | Someone silenced a trouble or alarm without fixing it | Find out why and get it repaired. |
Supervisory signals come up a lot here in winter. Colorado cold freezes pipes in unheated loading docks, attics and parking garages. That’s why dry and pre-action sprinkler systems are common in buildings from Aurora to Broomfield. Those systems report low air and valve problems through the fire alarm. Your technician will need to reach them.
Signs you should call a pro before inspection day
- A trouble light comes back after someone resets the panel.
- Your monitoring center reports missed test signals or a communication failure.
- Detectors are still wearing dust covers from a remodel, or were painted over.
- A tenant finish added walls or rooms since the last inspection.
- The documents box is empty and no one can find the drawings.
What do you need on hand before the technician arrives?
You need records, access and contacts in one place. Put this list together a week ahead:
- Last year’s inspection report and any repair invoices since then
- As-built drawings or a device list, if you have them
- Keys or cards for every locked space, including tenant suites and the roof
- Your monitoring account number and passcode
- A current tenant and staff contact list for notices
- A list of doors on hold-open magnets and other equipment the alarm controls
- Locations of sprinkler risers, valves and any dry or pre-action air compressors
Keep finished reports where you can find them. Some local fire authorities require copies to be sent to their offices, and others ask for them during their own walk-through. Our guide to Denver commercial fire inspection requirements explains that visit.
What prep mistakes cause problems on inspection day?
Most problems come from access and communication, not from the equipment. Watch for these:
- Missing keys. Devices in locked rooms get marked as not tested. That can mean a second visit.
- No notice to occupants. People evacuate, or someone calls 911 when the horns go off.
- Skipping the elevator or HVAC contractor. The relay gets tested, but no one confirms the equipment actually responds.
- Old monitoring contacts. The central station still has a former manager on the call list.
- Waiting until the code official is due. That leaves no time to fix what the inspection finds.
Multi-tenant and HOA buildings have the most moving parts, with more keys, more people to notify and shared systems. Our article on fire alarm monitoring in multi-tenant buildings covers who handles what.
Why work with Pre Action Fire?
Pre Action Fire, Inc. has served Denver metro businesses since 2009. All of our technicians are NICET certified. We inspect fire alarms to NFPA 72 and Colorado State Fire Marshal requirements. Our monitoring runs through a UL listed central station 24/7, including supervisory and trouble signals. We regularly service Potter panels, radio communicators, and HOA and multi-tenant buildings on monitoring contracts. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and emergency service is available 24/7.
To schedule your fire alarm inspection or get a free quote, call Pre Action Fire at (303) 682-0113 or request an estimate at preactionfire.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a fire alarm inspection set off alarms throughout my building?
Yes. Horns and strobes are tested, so occupants will hear and see them during the visit. The monitoring account is placed on test first so the central station does not notify emergency services.
Do tenants need to be there during the inspection?
Tenants do not need to be there, but someone has to unlock their space. Devices inside locked suites can’t be tested and will be noted on the report.
Who is responsible for the fire alarm inspection in a leased building?
NFPA 72 puts the responsibility on the building owner or the owner’s designated representative. A lease or management agreement can hand that duty to a tenant or property manager, so check your lease.
What happens if a device fails during the inspection?
The failed device is written up as a deficiency on your report. Schedule the repair soon and keep the invoice with the report so you can show it was corrected.
Recommended Reads
- What UL Listed Fire Alarm Monitoring Means for Your Denver Business
- Fire Alarm Monitoring Considerations for Multi-Tenant Commercial Buildings in Denver
- Annual Fire Alarm Inspection Checklist for Colorado Commercial Property Owners