What are the Different Types of Fire Alarms?

There are four main types of fire alarms, and choosing the right one depends on the size, layout, and fire safety requirements of your building.

The importance of fire alarms is well understood these days, but not every building has the same requirements.

That means there are a number of different types of alarm systems that your premises could be fitted with. While they all have the same aim – to alert people to a fire early enough to help save lives – the way they detect, communicate, and identify a fire can differ considerably.

In this blog, we explore the main types of fire alarms and detectors available, how each system works, and the fire alarm system categories used for commercial premises. 

What are the different types of fire alarm systems?

As mentioned, there are a range of commercial fire alarm systems available. However, the most appropriate option will depend on factors such as the size and complexity of your premises, the number of detection points required, and the level of information you need for the system.

Here are four of the main fire alarm system types most commonly installed and how they work.

1. Conventional fire alarms

A conventional fire alarm is a system that uses zones to signify where a fire has broken out. Call points are used alongside detectors and when a fire is detected, the fire alarm control panel will light up to indicate the zone where the fire is. This allows the general location of the fire to be established, which is a useful feature for both emergency services as well as for the responsible person to initiate evacuation via the most appropriate route.

A conventional fire alarm will be wired to at least two sounder circuits, utilising any range of audible indicators. Because each call point has to be wired directly to the fire alarm panel, this type of system is better suited for buildings with a more basic layout or smaller premises, reducing the number of points that need to be individually wired in.

2. Addressable fire alarms

The addressable fire alarm gets its name from the fact that each call point can be assigned an address on the control panel to help pinpoint the exact location of a fire. This can save time and save lives when it comes to the outbreak of a fire in a larger building, as it allows for safe evacuation and provides vital information for local fire and rescue services.

The system operates similarly to the conventional fire alarm aside from the ability to show exactly which call point has been triggered. Because the call points and other devices can be wired into the loop, there is also the potential to trigger sounders and sprinklers if required.

3. Analogue addressable fire alarms

An analogue addressable fire alarm system is sometimes called an intelligent fire alarm system since it does more than simply detect the presence of a fire. The different call points and detectors can be set up and assigned for precision when it comes to location, but they also use their own computer to send information about the general environment, including fire, smoke, heat, and system faults.

An analogue system like this means that faults can be dealt with immediately and false alarms can thereby be reduced, while still alerting with pinpoint accuracy when a fire does break out. It should be noted that some of these systems vary greatly, and will therefore differ in what the control panel can tell you about the input devices connected.

4. Wireless fire alarms

A wireless fire alarm is exactly what it sounds like. Utilising radio frequencies to communicate with call points and detectors, this system needs no wires, which makes it ideal for a number of situations, including listed buildings, due to the building design.

You can still address individual call points to ensure pinpoint accuracy with this type of system. The signalling is secured across multiple frequencies and you can adapt the system in future without the need for rewiring. Wireless components used within a fire detection and alarm system should meet the relevant product standards.

Where are these fire alarm types best suited?

Although all four of these systems provide a means of detecting and raising the alarm, there are certain environments they’re better suited:

Fire alarm system:	Commonly suited to:
Conventional	Smaller or less complex premises
Addressable	Larger or more complex buildings
Analogue addressable	Premises requiring more detailed system monitoring
Wireless	Retrofit, heritage, or difficult-to-wire buildings

The right system should ultimately be determined through a fire risk assessment for the building and its fire safety requirements rather than simply choosing one technology over another.

What are the different types of fire alarm detectors?

The type of fire alarm detector used within a system is just as important as the type of system itself. Different detectors respond to the different signs of fire, so the correct device should be selected for the environment in which it’s installed.

It’s worth noting that government fire safety guidance states that automatic fire detection will generally use smoke detectors, while heat detectors may be more appropriate in kitchens or other areas where smoke could otherwise cause false alarms.

Smoke detectors

Smoke detectors are designed to identify smoke particles produced during a fire.

There are different forms of smoke detection, including optical and ionisation technology. Optical detectors are generally effective at detecting slower, smouldering fires, while ionisation detectors have traditionally been more responsive to fast-flaming fires.

The most appropriate smoke detector depends on the likely fire risks and the environment in which it will be installed.

Heat detectors

Heat detectors respond to an increase in temperature rather than smoke.

They’re commonly used in environments such as kitchens and boiler rooms, where cooking fumes, steam, or airborne particles could result in unwanted activations from a smoke detector.

Multi-sensor detectors

Multi-sensor detectors combine more than one form of detection technology. For example, a detector may monitor both smoke and heat before determining whether an alarm should be raised.

Using multiple sensing methods can help provide appropriate detection while reducing the likelihood of unwanted alarms in certain environments.

Manual call points

Manual call points are different from automatic detectors because they require a person to activate the fire alarm manually after discovering a fire.

They remain an important part of many commercial fire alarm systems, allowing occupants to raise the alarm immediately rather than waiting for an automatic detector to respond.

What are the different fire alarm system categories?

The fire alarm system categories used in the UK describe the level and purpose of fire detection provided rather than the technology used to create the system.

In other words, terms such as conventional, addressable, and wireless describe different types of fire alarm systems, while categories such as M, L1, L2, and P1 describe the level of protection that the completed system is designed to provide.

The fire alarm systems categories to be aware of include:

• Category M – this is a manual fire alarm system that incorporates no automatic detectors.
• Category L1 – this provides the highest level of automatic fire detection for life protection, with detection throughout the premises.
• Category L2 – these are systems that are installed only in defined parts of the building, including all parts necessary to satisfy the recommendations for a Category L3 system. Essentially, these provide additional automatic detection in specified rooms or areas where there may be a higher fire risk or where early detection is particularly important.
• Category L3 – these are systems designed to give warning of fire at an early enough stage to enable all occupants, other than possibly those in the room of fire origin, to escape safely.
• Category L4 – these are systems that are installed within those parts of the escape routes comparing circulation areas and circulation spaces, such as corridors and stairways.
• Category L5 – these are systems in which the protected area or location of detectors is designed to satisfy a specific fire safety objective other than that of a Category L1, L2, L3, or L4 system.
• Category P1 – these are automatic fire detection systems intended for the protection of property, with systems installed throughout all areas of the building.
• Category P2 – these are automatic fire detection systems intended for the protection of property, with systems installed only in defined parts of the building.

What type of fire alarm system do I need?

With several different types of alarm systems and detector technologies available, it can be difficult to understand which one is right for your building.

The appropriate system will depend on factors including:

• The size and layout of the premises
• The number of floors and rooms
• How the building is used
• The number and needs of occupants
• The level of fire risk
• The areas requiring automatic detection
• Whether the system is intended primarily to protect life, property, or both
• Whether existing wiring can be used
• Whether other fire safety systems need to be integrated

Your fire risk assessment and building design should help establish both the appropriate type of fire alarm system and the category of protection required.

Get in touch to discuss your fire alarm requirements

At TVF, we provide professional and reliable fire alarm installation for commercial properties across High Wycombe, Watford, Slough, and the wider UK thanks to the backing of the LS Fire Group. 

We can help you establish which type of fire alarm system is required for your building and tailor the design to help you protect lives and stay legally compliant with relevant fire safety legislation. We can also provide ongoing fire alarm maintenance to help keep your system operating correctly and as intended.

From upgrading an existing system to installing a new wireless system, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our experts today to discuss your requirements in more detail.