Edwards Signaling ReadySet - Manual (Page 11)

Chapter 1: Introduction
ReadySET Aspirating Smoke Detection System Installers Handbook 3
Aspirating smoke detection system limitations
An Aspirating smoke detection system — which can be made up of smoke detectors,
heat detectors, manual pull stations, notification appliances, and a fire alarm control unit
with remote-notification capability — can provide early warning of a developing fire.
Such a system, however, does not assure protection against property damage or loss of
life resulting from a fire.
Any fire alarm system may fail for a variety of reasons. The following are only examples:
• Smoke detectors may not sense fire where smoke cannot reach the detectors, such
as in chimneys, in walls, on roofs, or on the other side of closed doors.
• Smoke detectors on one level also may not sense a fire on another level or floor of a
building. A second floor detector, for example, may not sense a first floor or
basement fire.
• All types of smoke detectors — ionization, photoelectric and air aspirating — have
sensing limitations. No type of smoke detector can sense every kind of fire caused
by carelessness and safety hazards such as smoking in bed, violent explosions,
escaping gas, improper storage of flammable materials, overloaded electrical
circuits, children playing with matches, or arson.
• Notification appliances, such as bells, may not alert people if these appliances are
located on the other side of closed or partly open doors, or are located on another
floor of a building.
• A fire alarm system will not operate without electrical power. If AC power fails, the
system will operate from standby batteries only for a limited time.
• Auxiliary Equipment used in the system may not be technically compatible with the
control unit. It is essential to use only equipment listed for service with your control
unit.
• Telephone lines needed to transmit alarm signals from the protected site to a central
monitoring station may be out of service or temporarily disabled.
• The most common cause of fire alarm malfunctions is inadequate maintenance. All
devices and system wiring should be tested and maintained by professional fire
alarm installers following written procedures supplied with each device. System
inspection and testing should be scheduled monthly or as required by national
and/or local fire codes and standards. Adequate written records of all inspections
should be kept.