Fire Alarms

How much fire protection should I get?

This is dependent on the type of building you wish to protect. There are four main options, each used in different circumstances. These are:

Lonisation – Very effective for detecting fast-flaming fire. We recommend them for landings and office spaces, areas which are prone to false alarms.

Rate of Rise – Uses a thermostat to sense a quick rise in temperature to a threshold of 57°C. They are therefore very good for kitchen areas or places where warmth can change but not too quickly – drying rooms and cupboards. Be warned that it might not respond to slow increases in temperature – they will often detect rapid temperature rises, such as when fires occur.

Optical – These alarms ‘see’ smoke. They have a quick response to visibly smouldering fires (e.g. from foam filled furniture and overheated PVC wiring). They are also particularly good in areas where you can otherwise expect false alarms, such as near kitchens. We recommend their use in living rooms, bedrooms and hallways.

Heat – These are used in rooms where smoke or mist is frequently part of the normal atmosphere, such as kitchens or garages. They should be interconnected with other smoke alarms on escape routes to give full protection.

Do I need fire extinguishers?

Yes, this way small fires can be dealt with immediately and efficiently!

Fire extinguishers must be kept in suitable locations so that they are easily accessible at all times – such as near escape routes or doorways to the outside. If you’re a company then you don’t want staff more than 75m away from one – so they don’t have to run to get one! We also suggest that if you’re a domestic customer you don’t hide them away under the sink or above the cooker – you’re likely to forget that it’s there!

Ideally they should be wall mounted so that the handle is at a convenient height (approximately 1 metre from the floor). In businesses, locations must be permanent so that they become familiar to staff – they are usually best situated as near to the door as possible, but away from any part of the room where the fire risk is greatest.

A notice indicating the location of fire fighting equipment should also be displayed. All fire fighting appliances should be serviced annually and the date of inspection noted on a label fixed to the appliance.

Between inspections you should routinely do a visual examination to identify any damage. Any that have been discharged must be recharged as soon as possible. Please contact us for more information on the types of fire extinguishers we can provide for your property.