Fire alarm systems come in four primary varieties, each offering its own advantages and capabilities.
For instance, a conventional system is ideal for small shops and offices where money is tight. It works by relying on building occupants to activate the alarm, which then alerts others within the building.
Another type is an addressable system, which is popular in larger facilities and complexes. These systems provide more sophisticated control, allowing users to monitor multiple points of access and pinpoint the exact location of an alarm.
A third option is an analog-addressable system, which offers a combination of the two previous systems.
Finally, there is a wireless system, which is often chosen by businesses who are looking for maximum flexibility and control. Control Fire System LTD specializes in providing the latest in fire alarm technology, and their products are designed to provide the highest levels of safety and protection.
They also offer a range of C02 sale options for businesses looking to purchase a reliable fire alarm system.
1. Conventional
Traditional fire alarm systems use hardware-based analog technology to communicate with their central control panel. These systems typically consist of zones, which are groups of devices (initiating and notification devices) wired together in parallel that trigger an alarm when environmental conditions (heat or smoke) exceed a predetermined threshold.
Addressable systems are more advanced than their conventional counterparts and offer greater information capacity and control flexibility. They link each device to the fire alarm panel through a communication circuit that uniquely identifies all devices by their unique addresses.
Conventional systems cannot transmit specific fire detection information like location. This helps firefighters locate the fire quicker and respond more effectively, while also preventing false alarms or other nuisance alerts that waste resources. False alarms cost fire departments in terms of fuel costs, wear-and-tear on equipment, time spent at the scene, as well as potential collision or injury risks.
2. Addressable
An addressable fire alarm system is the most modern type of fire alarm. It assigns each detector, manual call point and sounder its own unique ID number for easy identification.
On a fire alarm panel, text messages such as “Alarm Smoke Detector (Address: 123)” will be displayed.
These devices are then linked to the control panel via loop wiring, so they don’t need to be wired individually. This saves time in an emergency because firefighters can pinpoint the precise location of an activated device before they even arrive at the site.
Addressable fire alarm systems are ideal for hotels, offices, warehouses and other large facilities with intricate layouts. Additionally, they can reduce seek and search times as well as minimize disruption caused by false alarms.
3. Radio
Fire alarm systems used to be connected to a central monitoring station via landline phone lines, but the FCC announced plans to discontinue these types of transmissions and now wireless GSM communicators are the primary method used for fire alarm system communication.
Radio fire alarm systems can be configured to communicate over either a Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) or IP Internet connection. Both methods are highly dependable and can be deployed throughout buildings without the need for traditional POTS lines.
When a fire alarm signal is sent to the control unit, it can determine which detector or call point triggered the alert and notify firefighters accordingly. Furthermore, the Control Panel can be programmed to simulate an alarm for fire and evacuation drills as well as reporting trouble conditions to its supervising station; these could include issues with either the fire alarm system or other systems, processes or equipment monitored by it.
4. Manual
Manual fire alarm systems rely on building occupants to help detect fires and spread the message. Common components include manual call points, break glass alarms and acoustic or visual alerts.
A manual fire alarm differs from an automatic system in that someone must press a button or pull a lever in order to trigger it. This type of fire alarm works best for low risk commercial properties like offices, as evacuating people from these buildings takes less time.
Manual fire alarms may be connected to automatic detection devices like smoke or heat sensors. Although more costly than an automated system, manual alarms can save lives and assets by detecting fires at their earliest stage.
These fire alarms can also be connected to an automatic sprinkler system for water flow detection. This allows for faster detection and evacuation in case of a fire, while also helping prevent false alarms.
