How to Replace Your Emergency Exit Lights When They Burn Out
In an emergency, you need to find your way out of a facility in the quickest way possible. A property owner or manager should ensure that their building has fully-functional exit signs and emergency lights.
These signs and lights keep people orderly and put them at ease while they evacuate. These also help keep your building compliant with OSHA exit-marking rules and the fire and building codes your jurisdiction has adopted. Keeping yourself up to code will also help you avoid fines.
When you get exit signs installed, take it as a chance to have fire extinguisher inspections as well. Fire inspection personnel can instruct you or your building manager on how to care for fire protection devices, and they can replace these if they fail or burn out. Some routine replacements, such as a lamp or battery in a battery-powered unit, can be handled by building staff. Here are some things to keep in mind when replacing emergency exit lights.
Why do emergency lights burn out?
Exit signs and emergency lights are different fixtures. Internally illuminated exit signs are lit continuously, so their lamps or LEDs wear out over time. Emergency lighting units normally stay off and come on when normal power fails. Some exit signs are self-luminous or photoluminescent and have no lamp at all, and combination exit/emergency units exist.
What can burn out or wear out depends on the fixture. Many units now use LEDs and an internal rechargeable battery, and battery packs wear out over time. Older units may use incandescent lamps. Some buildings use a central battery system or a generator-backed emergency circuit instead of batteries in each unit. Check the fixture’s label or manual to see what yours uses. If a sign is lit but the unit does not stay on during a power failure, the battery is a common place to look.
How to fix your emergency exit sign
If the light is not working, you can either replace the broken part or the entire fixture. Before buying a new unit, see if you can isolate the malfunctioning part. On many battery-powered units, replacing a lamp or battery is routine maintenance; follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your model. Replacing a hardwired fixture involves line-voltage wiring and should be done by a qualified technician. If you need help, call a company that services emergency lighting and exit signs, such as Atlantic Fire Protection. After any repair, test the unit on battery to confirm it works. Required periodic testing is set by the fire code your jurisdiction has adopted; see our emergency lights and exit signs page for more.
Keep in mind that some types of bulbs burn out faster than others. If your exit sign uses incandescent lamps, you have to replace them more often. Save resources and install an LED sign; these lights consume less energy and save you money over time.
Conclusion
Building owners want to guarantee their occupants’ safety, and fire protection devices like emergency lights and extinguishers help with that. Apart from keeping your facilities compliant with regulations, these devices help you keep things orderly during an emergency.
Ideally, you want your exit sign working at all times. When it does burn out, it could be because of several things. Before changing your emergency lights, check with your local fire protection company if you can still have the sign repaired. If not, there are plenty of shops where you can get a replacement.
Don’t keep people using your building in the dark; install Atlantic Fire Protection emergency lights and exit signs today! We are a New Jersey and Pennsylvania fire suppression installation service, helping facilities protect themselves and keep their systems up and running. We have you covered from emergency lights to Ansul suppression systems; get in touch today to request a quote!