Legal Basis for AOV Maintenance
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) requires the Responsible Person of any non-domestic premises — and common areas of residential buildings — to ensure that fire precautions, including fire safety equipment, are maintained in efficient working order. This applies directly to AOV systems.
For residential buildings over 18 m, the Building Safety Act 2022 adds further obligations for the Accountable Person to maintain safety systems and report to the Building Safety Regulator.
Weekly Visual Check
The building manager or caretaker should visually inspect the AOV control panel once a week. The check takes less than a minute: confirm that the mains power indicator is on, that no fault LEDs are illuminated, and that the panel display shows a normal standby condition.
Monthly Functional Test
A functional test should be conducted monthly to confirm that the system responds correctly to a detector alarm. This involves activating a detector using a test aerosol (or, on addressable systems, using the panel test function) and confirming that the correct vents open fully within the required time.
Six-Monthly Full System Test
A more thorough test should be conducted every six months by a competent engineer. This includes testing all detectors in the system, verifying that all actuators open vents to full travel, checking battery condition and charge voltage, testing manual override stations at each floor level, and confirming that the control panel correctly identifies and logs fault conditions.
Annual Inspection
Once a year, a full inspection and service should be carried out. This is in addition to the six-monthly test and includes a physical inspection of all vent mechanisms for corrosion, damage, or obstruction, a review of the fire safety log, battery load testing, and a report to the Responsible Person.
Battery Replacement
Sealed lead-acid batteries used in AOV battery backup units have a typical design life of three to five years. AOV Direct recommends replacing batteries every four years as a planned maintenance measure, regardless of measured condition, to ensure reliable system performance. Replacement batteries must be of the correct type and capacity for the BBU.
Record Keeping
All tests, inspections, and maintenance activities must be recorded in the building's fire safety log. Records should include the date and time of each test, the name of the person conducting the test, the result of each test, any defects identified and remedial action taken.
For higher-risk buildings (over 18 m), this information forms part of the Golden Thread of building information and must be stored digitally and kept up to date.
Spare Parts and Replacement Components
AOV Direct supplies replacement batteries, actuators, smoke detectors, and control panel spares for AOV systems. Holding a spare battery and a replacement detector on site ensures that any fault identified during a test can be remediated promptly without waiting for parts delivery.
Need replacement parts or technical advice on AOV maintenance? Call our team on 01202 725 677 or browse our AOV parts range.
Need Expert Advice?
Our engineers are available to advise on compliance and product selection.