Nowadays, there are two types of fire alarm systems that are commonly in use and they are of the automatic or manual design. They can both be set up to either protect only people’s lives or to safeguard both property and lives with the automatic kind being able to operate in either a conventional or computerised arrangement.
Both Types of Fire Alarm
- The automatic fire alarm uses a linked up network of sensors that identify the presence of any smoke and then sound off the alarm.
- Both the manual and automated systems can be used to set up and turn on sprinkler systems and alert the local Leicestershire fire brigade.
- By using high quality fire alarms in Leicester, you will be employing the very best alarm system you will ever need to professionally protect your home or business.
- The manual fire alarm relies on someone being around who finds the fire and then activates the fire alarm.
- What are known as “call points,” are devices that are installed next to doors and stairwells so that alarm systems can be easily activated.
- As you may have already noticed, this type of alarm is normally found in commercial or industrial buildings where nobody will be sleeping.
Saving Lives and Containment
- Alarms have been invented in most cases to save the lives of people in homes or other kinds of buildings.
- This type of fire alarm will go off when any fire has been detected, but may not turn on a sprinkler system or inform the fire brigade.
- More intricate types of systems will close down ventilation systems to prevent any smoke and toxic smoke from spreading to other parts of a building.
Wiring
- The wiring configuration on automatic fire alarms can be either conventional or computerised.
- In standard configurations, buildings are divided into two or more zones and each will have a number of sensors hooked up to a control panel by way of an electrical cable.
- The cable goes from the control panel to each sensor in every zone.
- In this kind of conventional fire alarm context, activation of only one sensor will start up alarms and sprinklers for the whole area.
The Addressable Design
- Slightly different to conventional arrangements, what is called an “addressable” fire alarm system utilises an electrical cable that starts at the control panel and goes out to every sensor until a complete circuit is formed and then returns to the panel.
- Using this sort of configuration, each individual sensor is assigned an address.
- Should one sensor be activated, the control panel will then trigger alarms and sprinklers for just that one zone which is based on the sensor’s address.
- This kind of alarm system set up removes the need for a complete zone to be turned on and also allows for the fire brigade to know exactly where a fire is.
Fire alarm systems are a vital part in the interests of any buildings well-being.