Trouble on the panel: what it means
Most repair calls start with a beep. The control panel display reads TROUBLE, a yellow light is on, and the buzzer comes back each time someone in the building silences it. A trouble signal means the panel has found a fault in its own wiring, power supply or devices, so part of the system may not be able to report a fire. Silencing only stops the sound.
Here is what we usually find:
- An open or shorted wire on a device circuit
- A smoke detector that reports dirty or has failed
- Standby batteries that no longer hold a charge
- A ground fault, where a conductor touches a box or conduit
- A communicator that can't reach the monitoring station
A false alarm is a different problem. If the system keeps going into alarm with no fire, we look at the device that started it, the zone it sits on and what changed in the space around it, since a new tenant, a moved wall or a cooking area too close to a smoke detector can each set one off.
Repair items from an LAFD inspection
Van Nuys is part of the City of Los Angeles. Your fire authority is LAFD, not LA County Fire. The Fire Prevention Bureau Valley Public Safety Unit (818-374-1110) handles Fire & Life Safety Inspection Clearances and plan check questions for Van Nuys and the rest of the Valley Bureau area.
Got a correction list from an inspection? Send it to us. We repair each item and retest the devices involved. Under NFPA 72, the whole system also needs an inspection and test at least once a year, and some devices need one more often. For that yearly visit, see fire alarm testing and inspection in Van Nuys.
If a repair turns into adding or moving devices, plan check and clearance requests to LAFD go through the FIMS Customer Portal at inspect.lafd.org. LAFD Fire Development Services also keeps a Van Nuys office at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 2nd Floor, by appointment only. Confirm the current fire code edition with LAFD before a larger job.
Who can work on your panel
Alarm work is electrical work on a life safety system. California work for 1 Pro Fire is done by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 fire protection and C-10 electrical contractor licenses. Ask any contractor for theirs.
Getting a technician to your building
We cover Van Nuys from Roscoe Boulevard south to Oxnard Street, and from Balboa Boulevard and Hayvenhurst Avenue east to Woodman and Hazeltine avenues. When you call, tell us what the panel display says. The panel's make and model help too.
For fire alarm repair in Van Nuys, call (213) 568-0188 or email socal@1profire.com
If the same building needs other work, see fire sprinkler service in Van Nuys, fire extinguisher service in Van Nuys or all of our Van Nuys fire protection services. Managing sites elsewhere? Compare fire alarm repair in Los Angeles County and fire alarm repair in Orange County.
Van Nuys fire alarm repair questions
Is LA County Fire my fire authority in Van Nuys?
No. Van Nuys is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, so the Los Angeles Fire Department serves it through its Valley Bureau.
Can I just silence the trouble buzzer?
Yes, but it usually comes back. The fault behind it stays until someone finds and fixes it.
How often does my fire alarm need testing?
Once a year, at minimum. Some devices are on a shorter schedule under NFPA 72.
How soon can you send someone?
Call (213) 568-0188 and we'll book the earliest open slot for your address.
Do I need to contact LAFD after a repair?
If the repair adds or moves devices, ask LAFD's Valley Public Safety Unit at 818-374-1110 whether plan check applies before any of that work starts.