Fire alarm systems

Fire alarm installation, extensions and panel replacements for Edmonton commercial, industrial and multi-family buildings, coordinated with permits and verification.

When you need us

Most fire alarm work happens at a few predictable moments: a new building, a tenant improvement that moves walls, a change of use, or an aging panel that can no longer get parts. Each of these changes how the system must be laid out and tested.

• New construction and additions
• Tenant improvements that add rooms or change ceilings
• Change of occupancy, such as office to assembly
• Panel replacements and system modernization
• Deficiencies listed on an annual inspection report

Even moving one wall can leave a room without the detection or audibility it needs. Planning fire alarm changes with the rest of the tenant improvement avoids failing the final inspection.

Codes and standards in Alberta

Whether a building needs a fire alarm, and what kind, is set by the Alberta Building Code based on occupancy, size and other factors. The wiring itself follows the Canadian Electrical Code as adopted in Alberta, and installation, verification and ongoing testing follow CAN/ULC standards referenced by the codes.

Requirements vary by building, and the authority having jurisdiction has the final word. We work from the design drawings where there is an engineer of record, and confirm details with the inspector before rough-in.

Installation done properly

A fire alarm is only as good as its wiring. We run initiating and signal circuits in the methods the design calls for, keep them separated from other systems, terminate and label every device, and feed the panel from a dedicated, identified circuit with standby batteries sized for the required duration.

Interfaces matter too. Fire alarm systems often release maglocked doors, shut down air handlers and monitor sprinkler flow and valves. We test each interface so it works in a real alarm, not just on paper.

Where work happens in an occupied building, we tell the monitoring company and building management before any device is isolated, keep the isolation as short as practical, and restore and test before leaving each day. Nothing is left in bypass overnight without the owner and the authority knowing about it.

Common deficiencies we fix

Annual inspection reports often list the same handful of problems. Most are straightforward to fix, but they need to be cleared promptly and documented.

• Detectors that are dirty, painted over or past their service life.
• Rooms created during renovations with no detection or with horns that cannot be heard.
• Ground faults and trouble signals from damaged or wet wiring.
• Standby batteries that no longer hold their charge.
• Door holders, dampers or air handler shutdowns that do not respond to an alarm.

We trace the cause, repair or replace the affected parts, and test them so the deficiency can be signed off. If a recurring trouble keeps coming back, we look for the root cause, such as moisture in an exterior junction box or a cable damaged by another trade, rather than clearing it again and again.

After handover

Once a system is verified, the owner is responsible for keeping it in service, including periodic inspection and testing by qualified people. Keep your verification report, as-built drawings and annual inspection records together, because inspectors and insurers will ask for them.

Cost on fire alarm projects is driven by building size, device count, ceiling access, whether the existing panel can be extended, and how much work must happen while the building stays occupied.

If you are buying or leasing a building, ask for the latest fire alarm inspection report before you sign. Outstanding deficiencies or an obsolete panel can be a significant cost to plan for.

Questions we hear