Protecting Your Family While You’re Away

If you are a business owner who has a fairly large warehouse where goods are stored before they are shipped, then it is in your best interest to make sure that your products are well protected from damage. In most cases, this means installing a security system as well as a fire alarm system. Fire alarm systems are able to detect fires so that fire trucks can be dispatched to your facility. If you want this to happen well before damage occurs, then you will need to choose alarm features that detect fires properly and quickly. Keep reading to learn about the types of things you should look for in a fire alarm system for your warehouse.

Beam Reflection

Large warehouse spaces are typically considered challenging environments as far as fire detection systems are concerned. This is the case due to the wide open area as well as the likelihood of obstructions in the space that leave certain areas of the building unprotected from fires. In this type of space, wired systems are secured with placement of a single control station with a variety of alarms wired to this system. Your warehouse would then be set up into a series of zones that are each protected by a single fire detector. However, in a warehouse, each zone is likely to be quite large. Tall ceilings as well as stacked boxes can keep heat and smoke from reaching fire alarms effectively and quickly. Also, false alarms can sometimes occur as wiring fails or electricity is interrupted along the chain of alarms.

To help prevent these sorts of issues, invest in a beam reflection alarm system. These types of systems are specifically created for open areas with high ceilings Iike warehouses. The system features a transceiver unit as well as a reflector. The transceiver unit sits on one end of the warehouse about halfway up the ceiling and a reflector is positioned on the opposite end of the warehouse. The reflector and transceiver are aligned so they are perpendicular to one another. The transceiver emits a beam of light and the reflector reflects the light back towards the receiver. During a fire, the light beam is obstructed by dense smoke that rises and the alarm is activated.

While a typical beam reflection system uses a single beam of light and one reflector, multiple beams and reflectors may be needed in very large spaces. Make sure to speak with a fire alarm installation expert to see what is best for your warehouse.

Air-sampling System

Beam reflection fire alarm system can usually detect a fire fairly early, since they are activated as soon as smoke starts to build in your warehouse facility. However, if you have high-end and expensive products in the building, then you may want to make sure that alarms go off immediately after a fire starts, to reduce damage concerns as best you can. If this is the case, then invest in a very early fire detection system with an air sampling smoke detector.

The air-sampling system utilizes a central unit, like a beam reflection system, to detect the presence of smoke in your warehouse. The system has a pipe on the top that draws air into the unit. This is done continuously as the unit runs, and the air is analyzed for the presence of smoke or elements that are released when something burns. Since this system pulls in air continuously and also detects smoke at extremely small volumes, it can alert you to a fire extremely quickly. 

Most air sampling systems are fitted with small holes along the air intake tube to help keep dust and other debris out of the system. However, you should understand that a false alarm may occur if your employees smoke just outside the warehouse door and allow the smoke to billow in through the door. Avoid this issue by setting up a perimeter around your warehouse that is considered a smoke free zone. 

For more information, contact a company like Eastern Fire Protection.