Everything You Should Know About Smoke Detectors For Your Business

Smoke detectors are classed according to the type of sensor they utilize to detect smoke particles in a room. Today, there are two types of smoke detection and smoke detectors accessible, each of which works and detects smoke in a different way.

Detectors of Ionization

Small quantities of radioactive material are found between two electrically charged plates in ionization smoke detectors. When smoke particles enter the compartment, the flow of ions between the charged plate is disturbed. The smoke detector sounds an alarm when the flow is disturbed. When there is an open flame, these types of smoke detectors perform best.

Photoelectric Detectors

Photoelectric smoke detectors are used in EPS Security’s fire alarm systems. Inside the detecting chamber, these gadgets emit an LED light beam. Smoke particles disperse the light beam, redirecting some of it onto the photoelectric (light) sensor if they enter the chamber. The smoke detector sounds an alarm when light is detected. These detectors are very strong at detecting smoldering fires that haven’t yet combusted into an open flame, making them useful for early fire detection—which is critical in evacuating employees and dispatching emergency units to contain the fire in its early stages.

Fire Alarm Functions

A fire alarm system’s major functions are to notify any residents of the emergency and to evacuate the premises, as well as to notify the local fire department of the need for emergency dispatch. The bread and butter of a fire alarm system’s sensing equipment are smoke detectors. They’re carefully placed throughout a home or facility to maximize their capacity for early detection, no matter where a potential fire starts. Heat detectors can be used as an alternative to smoke detectors in industrial locations that are excessively dusty and may mistakenly trigger the sensor of a smoke detector.

Fire codes regulate where smoke detectors should be placed in a structure. Smoke detectors are essential in all homes:

• Every level of the building, including the basements
• In each of the bedrooms
• Within 21 feet of any sleeping room door, outside each separate dwelling unit sleeping space
• A distance of at least ten feet from a cooking appliance

Local fire codes also apply to homes, which may necessitate the installation of extra smoke detectors. Businesses are required to follow their own set of smoke detector placement codes, which are defined by the type of commercial property in question.

The smoke detector transmits an alarm signal to the fire alarm control panel, the system’s “brains,” when smoke is detected. Then two things happen at the same time. To warn people of the need to leave, the control panel activates audio and visual alarms throughout the facility. These are horns and flashing strobes placed throughout a building on standard fire alarm systems to alert everyone to the situation. The audible notifications on a voice evacuation system come in the form of a human voice, with precise evacuation directions based on the emergency process. At the same moment, the control panel sends an alert signal to a selected 24/7 monitoring center via landline or cellular communication. The signal is reviewed by a monitoring operator, who then phones the local fire department to inform them of the incident. The delay between the fire outbreak and the emergency response is decreased by sending instantly on fire alarm signals, potentially saving lives and property.

Vitel Communications

At Vitel Communications, we can help you with the design and installation of fire alarm systems. We are dedicated to providing your business with the best quality and service in the industry. Send us a message to get started!