Having a fire alarm system installed on your property is one of the most important elements of safety and security. They are something that is required by state law to have and can make a major impact in serious situations where fire may be present. As we will learn, they don’t only benefit you but also benefit your friends and neighbors.
Fire alarm systems however can be a lot to take on and understanding the process of installation and all its benefits can be overwhelming. That’s why we can break everything down to truly get a good grasp on what you need in your home.
Let’s get started.
What is a Fire Alarm System?
A fire alarm system is an integral part of the security system in your house. They are alarms that alert those nearby that there is a potential fire nearby and one should evacuate. They usually are set off when smoke, fire, and even carbon monoxide are present if you have a dual function.
This is either going to be through an ionization process or a photoelectric process. It’s possible that you may have a combination of the two. A fire alarm system makes up of multiple alarms placed throughout the house. It’s not just one as that would be both an illegal and inefficient setup.
The system can also be either hardwired or wireless depending on the area. It also can be integrated into a larger security system.
Why Is It Important To Have a Fire Alarm System?
Fire alarms are efficient ways to quickly detect smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide. As we all know these are deadly and hazardous environments to humans. These are issues that need to be brought to people’s attention quickly and alert the authorities who can help the issue.
Someone inside of the property may not be completely aware of the issue at the time so a fire alarm makes it easy to pick up on these hazardous environments quickly and address the issue. As mentioned they are also legally required because when we go through the benefits we will see they don’t only protect us but our neighbors too.
Benefits of a Fire Alarm System in Miami
The benefits of a fire alarm system in Miami all revolve around safety. However, we can break them down a little further to understand exactly why they are so important to have installed in our homes.
Let’s take a look at these three main benefits of fire alarm systems.
- Quick detection early on
- Alert safety authorities
- Keep your family and surroundings safe
Get It Early
When a fire alarm system can detect smoke, fire, and/or carbon monoxide more quickly, there is a much better chance of getting a fast response and eliminating the possibility of uncontrollable damage. The first step in the entire process is quick detection. The quicker the detection is, the better off everything can play out.
Ionization technically speaking has a quicker response than photoelectric when the fire is really going. Sometimes fires start quickly whereas others smoke. Photoelectric pics up better on tiny smoke particles and can detect it faster than ionization.
Get a Response
Most fire alarm systems will automatically alert your authorities that a hazard has occurred. It’s never a bad idea to go ahead and call authorities once you are safely away from the hazard itself. But likely once the alarm signals go off the authorities in your town are alerted and can get on their way to provide help.
Keep People/Properties Safe
Ultimately the goal is to keep everyone safe. Death and illness can be a result of having a fire alarm system go off which is why early detection is so important. You are not only protecting your family but also the spread of the hazard to your neighborhood.
Components of a Fire Alarm System
There are several important pieces that make up a fire alarm system regardless of whether you have a commercial or residential building. Let’s break them down individually so we can understand what does what.
Fire Alarm Control Panel: The control panel is what sends the information back and forth and relays the information needed for when a fire or hazard does happen.
Primary Power Supply: As mentioned you will likely have a hard-wired or wireless system. Most states require hard-wired and backed up by battery power. This means your electric company will be supplying the power for the system to operate.
Secondary Power Supply: This comes in the form of batteries in case the power goes out to ensure the system continues to function.
Initiating Devices: These can be manual like a pull or automatic which would be a smoke detector. In this case, we are talking about smoke detectors used for houses.
Notification Appliances: This is the actual alarm part of the system. These are your sirens, flashing lights, or anything that is used to grab the attention of those inside and outside to alert them.
Safety Interferences: These are automatic things to help assist with safety while the authorities are on the way. Exit lighting is a great example of this. Ventilation is also usually used to help with the smoke and air quality.
Types of Fire Alarm Systems
We have briefly mentioned that there are two main types of fire alarms and they can be combined. We also talked about how they can be set up. Let’s break them down further so we understand the differences between the two when installing one in your home.
Here are the options you have when looking at fire alarms:
Ionization
Ionization is the type of fire alarm that responds better to the flaming stage of the fire. That’s because the chemical process needs to interact with the system for it to set the current off.
Photoelectric
Photoelectric detects the smoldering stage well because it reacts to light and interference of smoke particles rather than a chemical set off. The smoke particles cast shadows triggering the alarm.
Combination
Because they act slightly differently in different situations some companies have made combination fire alarm systems to increase the odds of safety.
Wired
Fire alarm systems either have a wired or a wireless alarm system as we mentioned. Depending on your property you may not have a choice. However, wiring ensures that the batteries don’t go out, but when the power goes out, there is another issue.
Non-Wired
That’s why some people do prefer to go the non-wired route and operate on batteries. This is because the alarms will let you know when it is time to change the batteries, and you don’t have to worry about a wire malfunction.
Which Types of Fire Alarm Systems are Best?
We can see that no alarm system really outscores the other. Instead, the best thing you can do is have a wired system that is backed up by batteries. And to increase your safety levels you can install both types of smoke detectors throughout your home. State law requires that there be a fire alarm placed inside and outside each bedroom as well as in common areas and throughout the property.
You can simply buy a combination smoke detector or make a combination of them yourself by alternating between types in different spaces.
Fire Alarm Systems FAQs
Fire alarm systems are some that not a lot of people think about but they know about because they are planted inside our houses. But because we don’t do the installation or much with them it’s easy to not know much about their function or parts. This section is dedicated to the most frequently asked questions when it comes to fire alarm systems.
What happens to the system if the power goes out?
We mentioned that you want to have both kinds of operational fire alarm systems installed into one in case the power goes out. We didn’t mention how it works. So your system will run on power but when and if that power goes out it automatically starts to run on the batteries. This is why it’s important to consistently replace your batteries because you may need the alarms in a cruel moment.
Do I need to invest a lot of money into a quality fire alarm system?
Fire alarm systems in general are not costly. Having said that, it is arguably the most important part of your security system and you want to make sure that you are choosing a quality product. That doesn’t necessarily translate to a pricey product. Make sure to talk to your fire department or security team about what the best brands out there are and what products they recommend to use.
How much maintenance are fire alarms?
It is recommended by the NFPA to clean your fire alarms at least once a month. Then it is recommended to check the batteries once a year and replace the entire system every 10 years. In reality, fire alarm systems are not that much maintenance and any major issues can be taken care of by security or a local fire department.
Circle Security Solutions Product Showcase
Perfect timing to talk about quality products because choosing a good fire alarm system has never been easier. Here at Circle Security Solutions, we offer some of the best fire alarm systems and products available today! Not only that but we believe in being there every step of the way so we are happy to talk about the initial purchase, install your product, and help you maintain it whenever you need a helping hand!
It Matters
There is not enough stress on having a fire alarm system properly installed on your property. Likely you have one from the previous owners but who knows how old it is? The benefits of installing one outweigh any negatives. The only negative may be price but in today’s society, they aren’t very expensive, to begin with.
You will want to protect your home by trying to install a hard-wired system that runs on backup batteries. This is for when the power goes out and to ensure you have a functional system at all times. While Ionization and photoelectric are both super choices it doesn’t hurt to have a combination or even mix and match them throughout your house yourself. That ensures the best safety outcome you can ask for.
But the system is only functional if you have the right guys installing it. That’s why working with your local fire department or a trusted security team like Circle Security Solutions is so important. Sometimes we don’t understand why our fire alarm is chirping and having someone who can get to you and help you solve that is just what you need!
