Our office hours are Monday - Friday 8.30-17.00, although we offer 24/7 engineer assistance in emergencies for our customers

To update contact details please email us at admin@ventol.co.uk, we can then make any relevant changes to your account.

All our quotes are sent via email, to raise a question regarding your quotation, please reply to the email. This will then be sent directly to the person in charge of your quotation for them to respond.

To accept a quote it could not be easier, reply to the quotation email with either a purchase order or confirmation of acceptance and we can start the process.

We utilise a system which automatically raises a service job ahead of your due date, allowing our team to reach out and arrange an attendance at a time that suits you. If you would like to book this in prior to our correspondence please email admin@ventol.co.uk or call us on 01827 300630.

If there is a query regarding paperwork from the service, please respond to the paperwork email, and this will be picked up by our admin team. If the query is urgent, please contact us on 01827 300630.

Following the site visit the certification/report will be sent out within 1 working day, and your invoice will follow. If a copy of previous paperwork is required, please email us at admin@ventol.co.uk.

At Ventol Maintenance we are all for sharing appreciation if you have positive feedback, to ensure this is sent to the relevant department please respond back to the paperwork email or send an email to admin@ventol.co.uk. All positive feedback is shared within our team.

To raise a complaint please email us at admin@ventol.co.uk, the complaint can then be issued to the relevant department to be investigated further. You will receive a prompt response from one of our managers.

To cancel services please email us at admin@ventol.co.uk, confirming which services are no longer required, and from when. Please note that as per our maintenance agreement 1 months’ notice in writing is required, to ensure there are no additional charges to termination of the contract.

A fire alarm system is a life safety system, made up of detectors such as smoke, heat and carbon monoxide devices along with manual call points, visual indication devices and sounders. These can work together to provide premises-wide fire detection, providing early warning alarms to safely evacuate your building in the event of an emergency.

There are several options available.

- Conventional systems divide a premises into zones to determine the area of the alarm. - Addressable systems complete that of a conventional system but are more advanced and show the exact device that triggered.

-Wireless systems are useful where cabling is difficult and provide the same function as an addressable system although these require regular battery changes.

Our expert team can advise as to the system that best suits your building.

This law places responsibility on the person in charge of a building whether this is the owner, landlord or employer. They must reduce fire risks and make sure people can evacuate safely if a fire occurs.

BS 5839-1 is the British Standard that gives recommendation on how fire alarm systems in and around non-domestic buildings should be designed, installed, tested and maintained. It is used as a code of practice for compliance and industry standard.

The Fire Safety Order of 2005 requires that systems are always upkept in good working order. BS5839-1:2025 also advises on regular servicing and maintenance, should be carried out by a competent organisation in accordance to section 6. A service agreement with Ventol Maintenance ensures your alarm is maintained correctly by competent and trained engineers to ensure it functions as intended.

BS 5839-1 recommends at least two service visits each year, this is broken down into a periodic inspection & annual inspection. Over the duration of a year, every component should be tested to ensure it is in good working order, and is not likely to cause false alarms/unwanted fire signals. This is to maintain the efficient operation of the installed system. In 2025 the standard was updated to, ‘It would be acceptable for one inspection, test and service of the system to be carried out any time between 5 months and 7 months after the previous inspection, test and service’.

During a maintenance visit our engineer will follow multiple system checks outlined in BS5839-1, this is broken down into the following sections:

-Log book checks, including checking documentation for variations & false alarms.

-Detector checks i.e. functional and visual.

-Control panel and power supply checks including batteries.

-Manufacturer specific checks.

At Ventol Maintenance we work with our customers to ensure disruption is minimal, with some contracts we provide out of hours maintenance to reduce the impact compliance has on your business.

Some fire alarm systems require monitoring; this could be due to prolonged periods of absence or due to building occupancy. A fire risk assessment will advise you if this is the case. Ventol Maintenance work closely with a dedicated alarm receiving centre (ARC), in the event of a fire activation, your local fire rescue team will be dispatched.

Manufacturers recommendations regarding weekly testing should be followed, where shifts are carried out an additional test at least once a month should be carried out to ensure employees are familiar with alarm signals. A test is used to confirm the control panel can process a fire signal and provide output to fire alarm sounders, and if used check the fire signal is received by alarm receiving centre.

At least one fire drill per year is required. Record the evacuation time and any issues so improvements can be made. This is also to be documented in the fire logbook along with any other fire alarm activations.

Fire alarm panel manufacturers and battery manufacture state the shelf life and cycle count of a battery. Batteries usually last around three to five years, although this depends on the environment. Regular checks will prevent unexpected failures.

Some (but not all) manufacturers have a life span on their products of 10-15 years, although environmental factors can reduce this significantly.

Ventol Maintenance are governed by NSI to adhere to call outs as per the required standard, fire alarm systems are governed to an 8-hour response; whilst security systems hold a 4-hour response time. We pride ourselves upon communicating this with the customer to ensure if the call out can be fixed remotely, it is this is a free of charge service we provide.

When a new service provider takes over servicing arrangements for an existing system a special inspection is carried out to confirm the system is compliant. We will check cabling, layout and coverage. Records are then studied, where available, to log sufficient information for future servicing. A clear report will be provided with recommendations if anything needs attention.

Using the wrong type of extinguisher on a fire can have serious consequences, this could include a safety hazard to the user or others. Other points to consider are fire escalation, reduced effectiveness and damage to property. This is why it is important for people who may need to use an extinguisher, to be trained in fire types and firefighting. This is all covered in a fire extinguisher training course, or a fire warden course.

No. If a fire extinguisher becomes damaged it should be inspected by a professional, to assess the damage and replace if necessary. Fire extinguishers are pressurised cylinders and can cause harm if damaged and not stored correctly.

Fire extinguishers should be inspected once a year by a qualified service provider. This is an addition to monthly inspections by a fire marshal/competent person, to confirm the units are in place and have not been tampered with. They should also be checked by a professional immediately after use or if you notice any signs of leakage or damage.

Old or damaged extinguishers must be collected by your fire safety provider to ensure the correct carriers’ licence is in place. They will dispose of them safely and provide the correct paperwork to confirm it has been handled in line with environmental rules.

• Class A - Water is for solid materials like wood, paper and fabric. Never use it on electrical or oil fires.
• Class A,B,C - Dry powder is versatile and can be used on solids liquids gases and electrical fires. It should not be used on cooking oil fires or in enclosed areas.  These are highly effective against petrol and volatile liquid fires that makes them ideal for vehicle protection.
• Class B - Foam is effective on solids and flammable liquids, and liquefiable solids but not on cooking oil.
• Class C - Carbon dioxide is designed for electrical fires and flammable liquids. It leaves no residue after use and will not harm machinery or electrical equipment.
• Class F- Wet chemical is best for cooking oil and fat fires and can also work on Class A.
• Lithium ion - battery extinguishers are specialist units created for the growing risk of battery fires, and EV vehicles.

When normal lighting fails because of power loss sudden darkness can cause panic or accidents. Emergency lighting should switch on automatically to keep escape routes visible and highlight fire safety equipment so that people can leave the building safely.

The responsible person which is usually the employer, building owner or occupier must make sure that emergency lighting is installed, tested and maintained. This is a legal duty under the Regulatory Reform Order 2005.

The main standard is BS 5266-1 which explains how emergency lighting should be designed, installed, tested and maintained. It works alongside European standards such as EN 1838 and EN 50172 which set clear requirements for lighting levels and system performance.

Emergency lighting is split into two different battery backup durations. 3-hour duration is for premises where evacuation could be non-immediate, or where early re-occupation may be required.

1-hour may be acceptable if evacuation is immediate and re-occupation is delayed until the system has fully recharged. Please see BS-5266 Handbook for further guidance on this.

The emergency lighting system should have a flick test conducted monthly by a competent member of staff, to ensure the lights are functioning as intended and highlight any short falls. Annually an inspection should be completed by a service provider to provide a 3-hour or 1-hour discharge test, and document and report any failed units.

Ignoring emergency lighting requirements can result in heavy fines, closure of premises or even imprisonment for the responsible person appointed on site.

The standards themselves are not law but they are treated as best practice. Enforcement officers, insurers and auditors expect buildings to comply with BS 5266-1 and related standards.

Some systems are maintained meaning the lights are always illuminated. Others are non-maintained which means they only illuminate upon circuit failure or power failure. Lights may be powered individually with their own batteries or supplied from a central system. Emergency lighting may be linked to your fire alarm system to ensure in an alarm activation; escape routes are illuminated.

An emergency lighting design should be completed by a trained individual, to ensure all factors are accounted for. They will take into consideration of firefighting points, access points and other key factors.

There are four stages that must be followed

1. Design based on the type of building and level of risk
2. Installation that follows the British Standard
3. Commissioning to confirm correct operation
4. Ongoing maintenance and record keeping