8 Fire Safety Myths Ontario Property Owners Still Believe (And What's Actually True)

We inspect hundreds of commercial properties across Ontario every year. And the same myths come up over and over — from property managers, building owners, and even the occasional contractor who really should know better.

Some of these myths are harmless. Some are inherited from old codes that no longer apply. And some could land you with a Fire Marshal order, a voided insurance policy, or — in the worst case — preventable injuries.

Here are the eight we hear most often. If you believed any of them, you're not alone. But it's worth setting the record straight.

Myth #1: "When a sprinkler goes off, every sprinkler in the building goes off."

This is Hollywood's fault. Movies love showing one match held up to a smoke detector triggering a full-building sprinkler shower. It makes for great cinema. It's also completely wrong.

The reality: Sprinklers are individually heat-activated. Each sprinkler head contains a glass bulb or fusible link that breaks at a specific temperature (usually around 68°C / 155°F). Only the sprinkler heads directly above or near the fire activate. The rest stay dry.

NFPA data shows that in 89% of fires controlled by sprinklers, fewer than five heads activated. Many fires are extinguished by a single sprinkler. So no, your tenant's burnt toast won't flood the whole building.

Myth #2: "Water damage from sprinklers is worse than fire damage."

The reality: A sprinkler discharges roughly 80–150 litres of water per minute. A fire department hose? 950+ litres per minute.

If a fire reaches the point where firefighters arrive with hoses, the damage from their water will be exponentially worse than what a sprinkler would have caused — because by then, you also have a much bigger fire to put out.

Buildings protected by sprinklers have roughly 87% less property damage than buildings without them, even when you factor in water damage. Sprinklers don't make water damage worse. They make every other kind of damage smaller.

Myth #3: "Fire extinguishers don't really expire."

We see this one constantly. A property manager points to a dust-covered extinguisher and says, "That one's been there forever — still works fine." Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn't.

The reality: Under NFPA 10 and the Ontario Fire Code, fire extinguishers require:

• Monthly visual checks
• Annual professional inspection and tagging
• Internal maintenance every 6 years
• Hydrostatic pressure testing every 12 years

The internal pressure that propels the extinguishing agent slowly degrades over time. Seals fail. Powder agents can compact and clog the discharge nozzle. A 15-year-old extinguisher might still look fine — but you don't know if it'll work when you pull the pin. If the tag is expired or missing, the extinguisher fails inspection. Period.

Myth #4: "If I have building insurance, I don't really need to worry about compliance."

This is the one that costs property owners the most money. Often, after it's too late.

The reality: Every commercial property insurance policy in Ontario contains language requiring the insured to maintain compliance with applicable fire codes and standards. When you file a claim, the first thing the adjuster does is request your inspection records. If those records show lapsed inspections, missing certificates, or unaddressed deficiencies — your claim can be denied entirely, or paid out at a fraction of the loss.

We've seen million-dollar claims reduced to coverage of contents only because the building's sprinkler system hadn't been inspected in 18 months. Insurance is your safety net. Compliance is what keeps the safety net from having a hole in it.

Myth #5: "Smoke detectors and fire alarm systems are the same thing."

People use these terms interchangeably. They're not the same.

• A smoke detector (or smoke alarm) is a single standalone device — usually battery-powered or hardwired — that detects smoke and sounds a local alarm. The kind you have in your home.
• A fire alarm system is a fully integrated network: detectors, manual pull stations, horns, strobes, a central control panel, and often direct monitoring by a certified central station that dispatches the fire department automatically.

Commercial buildings over a certain size or occupancy require fire alarm systems under the Ontario Fire Code and Ontario Building Code — not just smoke detectors. The two are governed by completely different standards (ULC S536 for alarm systems, ULC S531 for residential smoke alarms). If you have a building with offices, retail, multi-residential units, healthcare, or assembly use, "we have smoke detectors" almost certainly does not meet your legal obligation.

Myth #6: "Old buildings are grandfathered — new code requirements don't apply."

The grandfather clause myth is one of the most expensive misconceptions in property management.

The reality: Some code requirements are forward-only — meaning new construction must comply, but existing buildings are exempted. Many requirements are not. Particularly anything related to life safety.

For example, Ontario Regulation 87/25 (effective January 1, 2026) expanded carbon monoxide alarm requirements to apply to existing commercial buildings with fuel-burning appliances, not just new construction. Older buildings without CO alarms in common areas are now non-compliant — even if the building hasn't changed since 1985. When in doubt, check with your fire protection contractor or AHJ.

Myth #7: "Emergency lights only need attention when the bulbs burn out."

This is a really common one — and a leading cause of failed inspections.

The reality: Emergency lights and exit signs require two separate tests every year:

• Monthly: a short functional test (30 seconds) to verify the light activates when AC power is cut. Anyone can do this — just push the test button.
• Annually: a full 60-minute discharge test that runs the unit on battery power for the full duration required by code. This simulates an actual power outage and verifies the battery still holds its rated capacity.

The 60-minute test is the one people skip. Batteries degrade with every charge cycle. A unit that passes the 30-second test might fail at 12 minutes — well short of the 60-minute requirement. Most emergency light batteries need replacement every 4–5 years. If yours have never been replaced, they're probably overdue.

Myth #8: "Carbon monoxide alarms are only for homes."

Until recently, this was kind of true for commercial buildings. Not anymore.

The reality: As of January 1, 2026, Ontario Regulation 87/25 expanded CO alarm requirements to apply to commercial and multi-residential buildings with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages. This includes:

• Buildings with central boilers or furnaces burning natural gas, oil, propane, or wood
• Buildings with attached parking garages
• Buildings with on-site fuel-burning equipment (commercial kitchens, generators, etc.)
• Multi-residential corridors serving units adjacent to any of the above

CO is colourless, odourless, and kills more Canadians annually than residential fires. The regulation change recognized that commercial occupants — employees, customers, residents — deserve the same protection people in single-family homes have had for years. If your last CO assessment was before 2026, you should have one done.

The Common Thread

Every one of these myths has the same root cause: someone, at some point, was told something about fire safety that was either outdated, oversimplified, or just plain wrong — and they passed it on as fact.

The fire protection industry isn't static. Standards evolve. Regulations update. What was true for your building in 2015 might not be true now. Three things have all moved significantly in just the past two years:

• Ontario Fire Code amendments — including the 2026 CO alarm changes
• NFPA standards updates — frequency requirements have shifted for several systems
• Insurance industry expectations — carriers are asking for more documentation than ever before

If you're managing or owning commercial property in Ontario and you're not 100% sure what your current obligations look like, the safest move is to have a fire protection contractor audit your property and benchmark you against the current code. It costs almost nothing to find out. It can cost everything to find out the wrong way.

Want to Stop Guessing?

First National Fire Protection offers complimentary compliance audits for commercial property owners and managers across Ontario. We'll review your existing inspection records, identify any gaps under the current 2026 code requirements, and give you a clear written report — no obligation to use us for the corrective work.

If you've been operating on old assumptions, this is the cheapest insurance you can buy. Request a Free Compliance Audit at /contact, or call us directly at 1-844-TEL-FIRE (1-844-835-3473).