Silencing smoke detector alarm after a minute

[Ira]

Is there any good reason (code violation or otherwise) for not having a smoke detector alarm automatically silenced (reset) after a period of time (60 seconds?) if the controlling panel is in "armed away" state? It looks like the M1G will allow rules created that will do it, but I haven't tried it.

The thought is that if the system is armed away, i.e., no people are home, there's no need for the audible alarms inside the home to continue. Any CS callouts, text messages, emails, etc., will be sent by the time the 60 seconds is up. If there is a person present, he will have heard the alarm. Rules could be set to keep lights/strobe(s) flashing and outside alarms sounding.

Of course, whatever caused the smoke detector to trip to begin with (actual fire or malfunction) would probably cause it to trip again. So the next question is, if it is okay to do what I outlined above, is it also okay to do something that will cause the smoke detectors not to trip again (after maybe a couple of iterations), like maybe have the smoke detector power run thru a NC relay, and open the relay (if armed away)?

I guess it's not much of a reason, but I ask because my wife is concerned about an accidental alarm causing our cat to go nuts if we aren't home to silence it.

I'm new to smoke detectors as part of a HA/security system, so please bear with me.

Thanks,
Ira

 

[Del91574]

I'd have to cite a specific code section in code, but automatically silencing a FA is a big no-no.

If the fire alarm is adequately installed and maintained, false alarms should be nil. These are not the same types of detectors that most people are used to (ionization).

 

[wuench]

If a smoke alarm goes off and there is no one there to hear it does it make a sound?

 

[Digger]

NFPA 72 states that a code, key, or equivalent is required to silence a Fire alarm system. I dont remember 100% anymore but I believe for Residential Fire the minimum timeout for a Fire Alarm notification sounder is 4 minutes in the USA and 5 in Canada.

There have been studies where people sleep right through a Fire Alarm sounding, however, I tend to wake up from a low battery beep so I think I will wake up during alarm in just a few seconds (maybe not my kids).

 

[gatchel]

If you look in the Elk programming most of the silence timers are set to 600 seconds. The fire timer is set to 65535 seconds. I'm sure this is for a reason. Maybe this is not the default but It is what I noticed on my system.