Fire alarm testing Portsmouth

Fire alarm testing for Portsmouth buildings

Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated cities in the UK, with many terraced HMOs and a number of tall residential blocks.

A fire alarm that has not been tested is an assumption, not a safety system. Detectors drift, batteries age, sounders get painted over and rooms get partitioned without anyone thinking about the detection. Testing is how you find out before a fire does.

There are three layers of testing. The user carries out a weekly test from a different manual call point each week. A competent engineer inspects and services the system at intervals of no more than six months. Every detector, call point and sounder should be functionally tested over the course of each year. We handle the engineer visits and set you up to run the weekly test properly.

The rules that apply in Portsmouth

Rented homes in England must have a smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. HMO licence conditions set by the local council often go further and call for a mains-wired, interlinked system to BS 5839-6.

What is included

One-off full system test and condition survey
Functional testing of detectors with test gas, heat and smoke
Manual call point and sounder or beacon tests
Sound level checks in bedrooms and occupied areas
Battery capacity and charger tests
Cause and effect verification (door holders, AOVs, lifts, plant)
Weekly test training and test rota for your staff
Written test report with pass, fault and variation notes

Buildings we work on in Portsmouth

New building owners
Managing agents taking on a block
Landlords
Schools
Offices
Warehouses

Areas we cover from Portsmouth

From Portsmouth we also cover Newport (Isle of Wight) (12 miles), Chichester (14 miles), Southampton (15 miles), Winchester (19 miles) and Basingstoke (31 miles). Elsewhere in Hampshire we work in Southampton, Basingstoke and Winchester. If your building is not in a listed town, we still cover it: every enquiry for fire alarm testing in South East England is handled the same way.

How a job runs

Tell us about the building

Use the form or send us your fire risk assessment action plan. A few details on height, use and current systems are enough to start.

Survey or desktop review

Where we need to see the building, we visit. For some jobs, such as EWS1 scoping, we start with the documents you already hold.

Fixed quote

You get a written, fixed price with a clear scope. Nothing chargeable happens without your approval.

Work and certification

Our engineers carry out the work and leave the right certificates, photographs and logbook entries.

Records and reminders

Reports are filed by building and we remind you before the next test, inspection or review is due.

Fire alarm testing in Portsmouth: questions

Do you provide fire alarm testing in Portsmouth?

Yes. We carry out fire alarm testing in Portsmouth and across Hampshire, including Newport (Isle of Wight), Chichester, Southampton, Winchester. Use the form to tell us about the building and we will reply within one working day.

Which fire and rescue service covers Portsmouth?

Portsmouth is covered by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, which enforces fire safety law for non-domestic premises and the common parts of residential buildings in the area.

How often should a fire alarm be tested?

The user should test the system weekly from a different call point each time. A competent person should inspect and service it at intervals of no more than six months, so that every device is tested over the year.

How long does a fire alarm test take?

A weekly user test takes a few minutes. A six-monthly service on a small system takes a couple of hours. Large addressable systems in multi-storey buildings may take one or more full days, split across visits.

Will the alarm sound during testing?

Sounders are tested for short bursts, and we agree timings with you in advance so occupants are warned. Detector testing can usually be done with the sounders silenced.

Fire alarm testing in Portsmouth