Different Types of Commercial Fire Alarms
Different Types of Commercial Fire Alarms
Whether you are upgrading your fire protection systems in your building or need to install new fire alarms, it is important to understand the different types of commercial fire alarms available. From the automatic alarm systems to the manual alarms, there are quite a few things you should know before blindly choosing a system. Let’s take a look at some fire alarm systems you could choose for your commercial space.
The Categories: Automatic versus Manual Fire Alarms
There are two distinct types of fire alarms you can have in your commercial space. The first is an automatic fire alarm. When these alarms detect heat or smoke, they send an audio-visual alert throughout the building to alert the occupants of danger. The next type of fire alarm is a manual alarm. These fire alarms have pull stations stationed around your building. When a fire is seen or smelled by one of your employees, they simply pull the leveler and alert the occupants. Manual alarms come in a variety of designs and colors.
Types of Commercial Fire Alarms
Just as there are different categories of fire alarms, there are also different types. Let’s take a look at the types of fire alarms and the features they offer.
Conventional Fire Alarms
Conventional fire alarms include a number of different “zones” that are hardwired to your central control panel. These systems allow you to be able to put separate fire alarms in each section of your building and helps to monitor if an alarm is broken.
Addressable Fire Alarms
These fire alarms are also called “intelligent systems” as they monitor the fire alarms in your building. Addressable alarms allow you to choose between automatic and manual alarms. Each alarm installed in this system has its own address, which allows you to see which alarm is working and which are failing. Addressable fire alarms are more expensive because of the monitoring features.
Hybrid Fire Alarms
Hybrid alarms combine the hardwired zone features of conventional fire alarms with the addressable loops of the addressable fire alarms into a single panel. This combined technology fits some of the settings better than either the addressable or the conventional alarm.
When choosing a new commercial fire alarm, it is important to choose the alarm that is right for your space. Call a professional whenever working with fire systems to ensure the safety of you and your employees.
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Cited: FireLine.com
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