Fire Alarm or False Alarm:  Discover What You Need to Know to Stay Protected ...

The main purpose of a fire detection system is to detect a fire, and subsequently warn the building's occupants, by providing as early a warning as possible.  This minimises the danger to both the occupants and to the building itself.

One problem that the end user is always conscious of is false alarms.  They are capable of determining the rate, inconvenience and cost of false alarms caused by the system.  Users often forget the positive aspects and the ultimate purpose of the alarm - to save lives and property!

This frustration with false alarms often causes designers and users to reduce the level of fire detection in pursuit of lower levels of false alarms.  Worse still, areas of detection can be removed completely, either at the design stage or later by maintenance personnel.  Disreputable fire protection companies sometimes disable fire alarm zones to eliminate false alarms. 

The problem with any reduction in detection is that the system becomes incapable of detecting fires when it is most needed - or is at least considerably slower in responding. 

Fire statistics show that while 67% of all fires occur after 6.00 pm, when the building is unoccupied, the majority of false alarms are raised when the building is occupied. 

Five actions you may take to reduce false alarms: Only take these actions in consultation with a reputable fire protection company or your local fire office. 

1. Keep your alarm system regularly maintained, checked and serviced by a competent engineer.  Under the new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 you may be required to show proof that this has been done. 
2. Some analogue addressable systems make it possible to reduce the sensitivity of some detectors by day and return them to full sensitivity at night.  This should be done automatically. 
3. Alternatively, you can programme some systems to sound the alarm only, but not immediately to alert the Fire Brigade until you have determined if the alarm is genuine. 
4. Make sure you run a weekly test on your system.  This will build user confidence that it is working correctly. 
5. Use multi-sensor detectors which use a combination of detection inputs.  By using a combination of inputs, the incidence of nuisance alarms is reduced while the response time to an actual fire is not impaired.  Multi-sensors that incorporate one gas element, a photoelectric sensor and a heat sensor offer substantial performance advantages. 

Two different types of fire detection systems 

Conventional Fire Detection:  The control panel gives a general location of the fire, accurate to a single fire zone. 

Addressable Fire Detection:  Each detector and module has a unique address. 

As a general rule of thumb, in systems of more than six fire zones, an addressable system is more cost effective.  This is because the higher cost of an addressable system is more than offset by the reduced installation costs and ongoing service benefits. 

You would be well advised to have your system checked by a well established reputable fire protection company.  You will want the assurance of knowing that the lives and property you are responsible for are adequately protected.