Equipping modern apartments with fire alarms has long ceased to be an additional security measure and has become a necessity. Manufacturers of alarm systems listen to the needs of ordinary consumers, offering ergonomic and functional systems. Household fire alarms in the apartment , subject to quality installation and compliance with the operating rules, regularly perform their tasks and at the same time do not cause unnecessary concern to the residents.
What is a fire alarm?
A typical alarm system package consists of two basic components - a control panel and a sensor. The first component, it is also a controller, is a means of adjusting the operation of the system, a receiver of a signal from a sensor and, in most cases, directly a signaling device. In some sets, the siren can be installed separately, but also in common with the control panel. Such sirens are distinguished by a powerful sound signal, therefore they are more often used in large houses and public buildings than in apartments. The main and most responsible element of the system is the fire alarm sensor. In an apartment, it is installed in places of a possible risk of fire. This is a sensitive sensor that detects the presence of flame or smoke in the room. There are different versions of the detectors, which will be discussed below. The entire infrastructure can be combined with either cable lines or wireless communication modules.
Varieties of systems
Domestic fire systems differ in the type of detectors used and the means of warning. As for the detectors, they are temperature, smoke and electromagnetic, that is, they capture the radiation of the flame. Temperature models record only indirect signs of the spread of fire and do not always give an accurate result - in addition, they can respond to thermal radiation from a regular operation of household appliances. Smoke and electromagnetic sensors are most common as a means of detecting fire. At the same time, smoke devices require regular cleaning, otherwise their sensors will also work at the slightest external irritation. The most reliable is considered a comprehensive fire alarm - in the apartment in different places a complete set of sensors of various types is installed, which cover all potentially dangerous zones from the point of view of the threat of fire. In terms of means of notification, it is worth noting the data transmission channels directly to the user. In addition to the direct action of the sound detector, the owner can receive a signal from the control panel via GSM mobile communication, radio communication or Internet connection. In addition, you can organize a channel for transmitting an alarm signal to the local fire department.
Installation work
First you need to sketch a diagram on which the installation points will be marked. In this part, it is important to observe two principles. First, the detectors must be located in places of real danger, and so that at the moment of danger the sensitive elements record the target sign of fire - smoke, temperature or flame radiation. Secondly, the sensor, regardless of type, must be removed from instruments and equipment that have a thermal or electromagnetic effect. The very installation of a fire alarm in the apartment is carried out using fasteners. It can be self-tapping screws, screws, staples or profile elements. Using a screwdriver, drill and masking hardware accessories, you can easily install the sensor housing in a wall, ceiling or floor.
User's manual
After installation, the user is required to perform several manipulations as part of preparing the system for operation. These measures are not necessary if stand-alone sensors are installed that do not transmit a signal and immediately work when a threat is detected. The maximum in such devices you can adjust the sensitivity of the sensor. In systems with control panels, it is necessary to connect the controller and the subscribers with whom the fire alarm will interact. In the apartment for a minimum range of alerts, it is enough to configure the sound siren for sufficient power. In systems with wireless data transmission, the connection via the radio channel (using the key fob), cellular communication and the Internet channel is also configured. There are systems in which, when signs of a threat are detected, fire extinguishers automatically fire even before the signal is sent. But it is in apartments that such devices are used less often.
False positives: what to do?
Not in all cases of the sensor triggering is precisely the ignition. A sensory element can be provoked by an elementary clogging of the “filling”, a decrease in the resource of batteries, voltage drops and external factors. If a fire alarm squeaks in an apartment in which there is not the slightest sign of fire, you should check the condition of the device itself, as well as the possible effect of air flows on it. An open window or evaporation of boiling water may very well trigger an alarm.
If the factors that could cause false activation of the detector were not found in the room, it should be turned off, dismantled and the internal “stuffing” already checked. Much also depends on which fire alarm sensor squeaks. In an apartment where temperature sensors are installed, it is difficult to detect microclimate changes without special devices. Therefore, when working with such devices, the installation of a thermometer in the sensor location zone should also be provided for initially.
Can I turn off the alarm permanently?
To begin with, it is worth noting that the presence of such an alarm in apartments today is mandatory. All new buildings according to the rules of fire supervision are commissioned with installed alarm systems. Accordingly, according to the standards, it cannot be turned off. Unless for the period of repair work, installation of equipment and other activities, the implementation of which will lead to the activation of the device. Nevertheless, in practice, a considerable part of the owners still deactivate this function, leaving the equipment in place in case of verification. How to turn off the fire alarm in the apartment? It depends on the type of sensor. Simple stand-alone battery-powered models are turned off by the press of a single button on the chassis. In more complex complexes with control panels, the alarm function can also be disabled at the program level by completing the appropriate settings.
Manufacturer's Reviews
Accurate and functional systems are presented by Hochiki, Siemens, Apollo, etc. In the lines of these manufacturers you can find both individual detectors and complete warning systems with controllers. Owners of such electrical equipment note reliability, wide sensitivity settings and the ability to communicate with other security systems. The domestic fire alarm is less attractive. In the apartment, such devices are recommended to be used only as components of an integrated solution, which, for example, will be based on the Siemens controller. The most worthy options for this segment are offered by Polyservice and Teles.
Conclusion
Approaches to the fire alarm device in a wide consumer array are still far from perfect. Therefore, a skepticism is formed about the function that the fire alarm in the apartment performs. Can this security component be removed? It is quite possible - just make a few simple manipulations. But even if we exclude the risks of fines that may follow in the course of checking the operability of an alarm, there will remain a different threat - a fire. Therefore, the best solution to the problem will still be the use of high-quality alarm components that will be protected from false alarms.