Fire Alarm Maintenance Checklist: Weekly, Monthly and Half-Yearly

01Every week (5 minutes)

1. Check the panel shows normal, with no fault or disabled lights.
2. Test one manual call point with its test key, using a different one each week.
3. Confirm the sounders can be heard, then reset the panel.
4. Write the date, the call point tested and any issues in the logbook.

Test at the same time each week so people in the building know it is a test, not a fire.

02Every month

• Look over the standby batteries for swelling or leaks, and check the panel shows mains power.
• Walk the site and make sure no detector has been covered, painted or blocked by new partitions, racks or false ceilings.
• Check that call points are visible and not hidden behind furniture or stock.

03Every six months (by a technician)

A competent technician should service the whole system twice a year. A typical visit covers:

• A functional test of every detector with test smoke or heat
• A battery load test and charger check
• Sounder and flasher checks in every zone
• Cable, earth-fault and event-log checks
• Cleaning or replacing contaminated detectors

04Long-term replacement

Smoke detectors slowly lose sensitivity as dust builds up inside them, and most manufacturers recommend replacing them after about 10 years. Standby batteries wear out every few years, so check the date written on them at every service.