Silencing a Fire Alarm

Two steps are required to silence a fire alarm.

• Reset your smoke sensors. Typically this is accomplished by pressing the reset button mounted to the outside of the main control panel for about 3 seconds. The main control panel is the large unit, typically installed in a closet, garage or mechanical room.
• Enter a valid 4-digit passcode at either the Touchscreen or a keypad.

Your reset button may be of the type that latches when pressed. This type removes the smoke sensors from the system until the button is pressed again to re engage the smoke sensors. This type of reset button is advantageous in that it allows you to disengage the smoke sensors for as long as necessary to clear the smoke. It has the disadvantage however, of allowing for the unintentional disengagement of the smoke sensors.

Most reset buttons are of the momentary type, which means that the smoke sensors are disengaged from the system for as long as you press the reset button. The disadvantage of this type is that it often requires a little time to clear the area of the smoke sensor of smoke. If the smoke sensor detects smoke after being reset, it will trigger again and continuously until the smoke is cleared. If you have control of the situation and you simply want to have the system silence, it might be more appropriate to simply unplug the main control panel and disconnect one lead of the battery inside. After the smoke is cleared, plug the main control panel back in and reconnect the battery lead. Upon powering up the control panel, it may sound, due to it remembering its fire condition. Entering a valid 4-digit code should silence it and return you to normal service.

Note that whenever a smoke sensor trips the system, all of your heating and cooling systems will be turned off. The purpose of having the system to this is to minimize the spreading of a fire through the heating and cooling ducts. Also, if you have modulating dampers that control the airflow to your temperature zones, these too will be closed.

To return your heating and cooling systems to normal service, simply go to HVAC CONTROL and return the SYSTEM MODE of each system back to its desired operating mode (auto, heat or cool).