Wilton Alarm Services design and install fire alarm systems for both commercial and residential properties. All our designs and installations are compliant with the standards. Fire alarms for businesses and fire alarms for the home are very different in their requirements and are covered by different legislation. Our systems range from basic property protection to full life protection systems with options to have any system remotely monitored.
We also provide gaseous fire extinguishing systems and emergency lighting; emergency lighting is installed to BS5266 standards. Our trained and knowledgeable system designers are happy to give advice.
Systems for Homes
The requirements for domestic fire alarms are less strictly governed than commercial properties. For example, it is not obligatory to have a fire alarm in a single private dwelling or even to follow BS5839 Part 6 (BS5839-6:2004) – the part of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that refers to domestic properties. Most people will be satisfied with self-fit stand-alone battery operated smoke detectors, but one should be mindful that these should be checked regularly to ensure that the battery is working correctly.
An option is to have smoke detectors hard wired into an intruder alarm system but if smoke (or heat, in the case of a rate-of-rise heat detector) is detected, the system will give the same audible warning as intruder alarm activation because the wires are not protected in the same way that they would be with a dedicated fire alarm. This could cause confusion; you might think you are being burgled when in fact, the house is on fire – or vice versa.
The best option to protect your home and family from fire is to install a dedicated automatic fire alarm system. In some cases, this may be a requirement of your insurance policy or requested by Building Control inspector or a Fire Officer, following a visit during building works.
Systems for Businesses
The starting point of every commercial fire alarm installation is a Fire Risk Assessment.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires every commercial premises to appoint a ‘Responsible Person’ who is accountable for producing a fire risk assessment of the property. If a business’s Responsible Person does not want to do the risk assessment, they can nominate an independent fire risk assessor who will undertake this service for a fee.
Wilton Alarm Services cannot, by law, undertake a fire risk assessment for a business but our qualified and knowledgeable fire system designers can advise on what should be taken into consideration when preparing it. We can also help you understand the British Standards, and have a wealth of expertise on the application of the various fire alarm products.
The British Standard is broken down into categories
Loosely speaking, the categories are split into L systems where the prime aim is to save life, and P systems where the prime aim is the protection of property, and M systems – which are always required within L systems, and sometimes for P systems – for manual operation (call points). The following explanations are intended as a reference only:
M – A system is designed for life protection and includes manual break glass call points located adjacent to all exits from the property and on each main landing but there is no automatic detection.
P1 - A system designed for the protection of property with automatic fire detection installed throughout the property, including roof voids.
P2 - A system designed for the protection of property with automatic fire detection installed in specified risk areas only.
L1 - A system designed for the protection of life with automatic fire detection located throughout the property, including roof spaces and any roof voids over 800mm associated with the above protected areas. (Voids less than 800mm are subject to risk assessment.)
L2 - A system designed for the protection of life with automatic fire detection located within the communal escape route(s), all rooms opening onto the escape route(s) and within other specified risk areas, including any roof voids over 800mm associated with the above protected areas. (Voids less than 800mm are subject to risk assessment.)
L3 - A system designed for the protection of life with automatic fire detection located within the communal escape route(s) and all rooms opening onto the escape route(s), including any roof voids over 800mm associated with the above protected areas. (Voids less than 800mm subject to risk assessment.)
L4 - A system designed for the protection of life with automatic fire detection located within the communal escape route(s) only, including any roof voids over 800mm associated with the above protected areas. (Voids less than 800mm are subject to risk assessment.)
Audibility levels
Category L and M systems require sufficient audible warning devices to achieve a minimum audibility level of 65dBA or 5dBA above ambient noise levels in all normally accessible parts of the property. In sleeping risk areas, a sound level of 75dBA is required at each bed head.