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We recently moved into a house which used to be tenanted to five adults, and because of safety regs had to have very comprehensive fire safety.

There is a fire panel, and there are fire alarm push buttons around the house (see photos).

The panel is in an annoying spot that we'd like to use for other things, and I'm worried that our toddler might push the buttons. Being just a normal family, naturally we don't need such industrial strength fire security.

As a result, I'd like to remove these things. But I'm concerned that if I do so I might set off the alarm, and maybe if I've removed the panel it'll be hard to turn it off. Is that a risk? There might be other concerns I've not considered. Is there anything else worth thinking about? Grateful for any advice.

Fire alarm push button Fire panel

Tom
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    I'd start with checking whether there is any monitoring in place. These types of things are often tied in to a monitoring service that calls the fire department. Short of removal, you can get pretty rugged covers that allow easy use but prevent accidental presses by children and adults (ask me how I know...) – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Jan 17 '22 at 21:38
  • @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact Looked like a pretty button or playing football inside? – crip659 Jan 17 '22 at 22:12
  • At my synagogue: one time teenagers running around, one time congregant praying next to the wall bumped one, pile of boxes in kitchen bumped one. Then got big ugly boxes and problem solved. Except the smoke detector that goes off if you make cotton candy below it... – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Jan 17 '22 at 22:28
  • @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact Yelling "I'm only cooking!" worked for us. Once... (no, really it did!) :) – FreeMan Jan 18 '22 at 17:48
  • @FreeMan That works at home when the smoke detector goes off. Doesn't work with a centrally monitored system that sends the fire department very quickly... – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Jan 18 '22 at 18:16

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Open the panel and check if it has a telecom output. Many small systems are not connected to a dialer. (There are wireless models I did not look this up but you would be getting a bill as a company calls the fire dept that service costs) Normally pull stations are monitored with an end of line resistor so if the line gets severed without shorting the conductors it will set off a trouble alert. Normally there will be a battery in that console. You may want to remove the pull stations and leave the smoke detectors depending on year built they may be required I would check on that before completing a demo on the entire system. If you want to remove the entire system pull the battery then kill the power if there is no outgoing phone line.

Ed Beal
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  • Thanks Ed. Is there anything I should be looking for for the telecom output? There's nothing obviously there but not sure what I'm looking for. Couldn't see anything in the [manual](https://www.intelligentsecurity.org/resources/Fire/Firesense/Firesense-Operational-Notes-for-12-Zone-Concept-Fire-Panel-ISF.pdf). When you say the detectors may be required - you just mean by fire regulations or something? – Tom Jan 19 '22 at 22:36
  • Code, state or local law other than code, etc. - yes, fairly common to have requirements for detection. Removing a system in place can also affect (raise) your insurance costs. Think this all the way through. – Ecnerwal Jan 20 '22 at 00:38