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What is a FAS Fault?

FAS means Fire Alarm System and is a term used to describe a fire detection and alarm system. A FAS Fault is any fault reported by a fire detection and alarm system and relayed to a fire system monitoring provider.

A Fire Alarm System ("FAS") fault is a signal from a Fire Detection & Alarm System ("FDAS") via Alarm Signalling Equipment ("ASE") to an alarm service monitoring provider such as ADT Fire Monitoring, Chubb Code Red or Romteck.

In the illustration (above) the Alarm Signalling Equipment includes a section titled "Alarm System Status" with three status indicators;

These status indictors normally show the status of the Fire Detection and Alarm System.

ASE ALARM Signal: The alarm status signal when constantly illuminated indicates the current status of an active FIRE ALARM signal on the fire alarm panel.; The alarm status signal when flashing indicates the current status of an previously active FIRE ALARM signal but no longer active on the fire alarm panel.
ASE FAULT Signal: The fault status signal when constantly illuminated indicates the current status of an active FAULT signal on the fire alarm panel.; The fault status signal when flashing indicates the current status of an previously active FAULT signal but no longer active on the fire alarm panel.
ASE ISOLATE Signal: The isolate status signal when constantly illuminated indicates the current status of an active ISOLATION, IMPAIRMENT OR DISABLEMENT signal on the fire alarm panel.; The isolate status signal when flashing indicates the current status of an previously active ISOLATION, IMPAIRMENT OR DISABLEMENT signal but no longer active on the fire alarm panel.

There is no one single cause of a fault on a fire detection and alarm system, however faults can be grouped into one of the following categories;

A fire detector that is excessive contaminated (dirty) and is reporting a "maintenance alert";
A fire detector that has been damaged, interfered with or disturbed (this could be by one of the following causes;
- physical damage;
- caused by building works such as a tenancy fit-out; or
- activity caused by a contractor, cleaner or member of the public; or
- water damage.
A fire detector that has been removed;
A filter for an aspirating smoke detector that has expired;
An aspirating smoke detector that has low air-flow or high air-flow;
A projected beam detector that is not aligned correctly.
A fire detector or other device with a defined service life that has been exceeded.
An end of line monitoring device that is not being detected.

There may be other reasons for faults, but the vast majority fall into these categories.