Checklists by equipment
2 lists · 9 items · 12 photosDuct smoke detector maintenance checklists
Duct smoke detector maintenance checklists for the quarterly and annual rounds: 2 free lists, 9 items and 12 photo requirements, each item naming what to look for and the photo that proves it. Work is commonly verified against NFPA 72 and NFPA 90A; the edition in force is the AHJ's call on each project.
The duct smoke detector rounds
Duct smoke detector QuarterlyDuct smoke detector quarterly maintenance checklistSampling tube orientation, detector cleanliness and the remote LED observed at the duct smoke detector4 items5 photosDuct smoke detector AnnualDuct smoke detector annual maintenance checklistFunctional actuation and the HVAC fan-shutdown interface observed alongside the alarm technician's annual test5 items7 photos
Where each walk sits in the schedule
- Duct smoke detector quarterly maintenance checklistquarterly
- Every quarter, walked with the air-handler check since a fouled detector and a dirty duct show up on the same visit. Run by: The building engineer or HVAC tech reaching the detector at the air handler on the quarterly round, recording condition rather than performing the actuation test.
- Duct smoke detector annual maintenance checklistannual
- Once a year, coordinated so the air handler can be run and shut down for the test and the monitoring station is on test before the detector is actuated. Run by: The facilities lead attending with the fire alarm technician and the HVAC tech, recording what happens when the detector is actuated, while the technician performs the code-required test.
What most often fails on a duct smoke detector
- Sampling tube installed backwards or its inlet holes rotated out of the airstream, so the detector is live and reporting but never actually sampling moving air.
- Detector head caked with duct dust and read as clean from the walkway, when the buildup is exactly what drives the nuisance trips that get the whole detector bypassed.
- Remote test/reset station LED dark and unnoticed because the station is in a ceiling or a back corridor nobody passes.
- Detector actuated and the panel signal confirmed, but nobody watches the air handler to see the supply fan actually drop out, so a broken shutdown interface passes.
- Magnet test used as a proof of smoke sensing when it only proves the circuit, so a fouled sensing chamber that won't respond to real smoke still gets logged good.
- Fan shut down on the test but the damper interlock and the restart-after-reset never watched, so the unit doesn't come back cleanly and gets left in hand.
Common questions
- Which duct smoke detector maintenance rounds do these checklists cover?
- Duct smoke detector quarterly maintenance checklist (quarterly): Every quarter, walked with the air-handler check since a fouled detector and a dirty duct show up on the same visit. Duct smoke detector annual maintenance checklist (annual): Once a year, coordinated so the air handler can be run and shut down for the test and the monitoring station is on test before the detector is actuated.
- Who runs the duct smoke detector maintenance round?
- The building engineer or HVAC tech reaching the detector at the air handler on the quarterly round, recording condition rather than performing the actuation test. The facilities lead attending with the fire alarm technician and the HVAC tech, recording what happens when the detector is actuated, while the technician performs the code-required test.
- What most often fails on a duct smoke detector?
- Sampling tube installed backwards or its inlet holes rotated out of the airstream, so the detector is live and reporting but never actually sampling moving air. Detector head caked with duct dust and read as clean from the walkway, when the buildup is exactly what drives the nuisance trips that get the whole detector bypassed. Remote test/reset station LED dark and unnoticed because the station is in a ceiling or a back corridor nobody passes. Detector actuated and the panel signal confirmed, but nobody watches the air handler to see the supply fan actually drop out, so a broken shutdown interface passes.
- Which standards is duct smoke detector work verified against?
- NFPA 72, published by the National Fire Protection Association; NFPA 90A, published by the National Fire Protection Association. Adoption varies by jurisdiction. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction enforces before you run a walk against it.
- Can I run these checklists in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace and load any of the 2 lists (9 items in total). The Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached, and approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.