The Different Types Of Smoke Alarms We Provide
Here at Oakpark, we provide a range of smoke alarms to meet your fire safety requirements. Our fire safety experts will provide a personal bespoke service and will design, supply and install a fire protection solution to meet your needs. Call our team to discuss which type of smoke alarm will provide the greatest protection for your home or business.
Our range of smoke alarms includes those that are powered from the mains power supply as well as a battery backup or others that are powered by a lithium battery. In the event of low battery, our smoke detectors will emit a tone to warn you to replace the battery.
Optical Smoke Alarms
Optical smoke alarms work by detecting smoke altering the absorption of light within its smoke detection chamber. As such, optical alarms are more sensitive to slow-burning, smouldering fires such as fires involving furniture and bedding. This means optical smoke alarms are best suited to areas of habitation, such as bedrooms and living rooms. However, they are susceptible to false alarms caused by tobacco smoke. Additionally, optical alarms are less sensitive to the fumes that occur during cooking and are recommended for use in rooms that open to the kitchen, to reduce the number of false alarms from cooking.
Ionisation Smoke Alarms
Ionisation alarms contain a small amount of radioactive isotope which ionises the air within the smoke detector. This means if smoke enters the detecting chamber of the ionisation alarm, the ionised air molecules will react with the smoke, causing a change in electrical behaviour which then triggers the fire alarm.
Ionisation smoke alarms are more sensitive to smoke that contains smaller particles that often results in a rapidly burning fire. Ionisation alarms are less sensitive to steam, however, and are well placed in hallways or stairwells that are close to bathrooms to kitchens as they would limit the number of false alarms.
Heat Alarms
Heat alarms operate by having fixed-temperature elements and react and respond to the temperature of the air around the heat alarm. Heat detectors are used in areas where the ambient temperature is likely to fluctuate rapidly, such as a kitchen, and are less likely to produce false alarms. Heat alarms are a legal requirement in commercial kitchens.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
We can supply and install a range of Carbon Monoxide detectors & CO alarms in your home or businesses. Carbon Monoxide is a deadly gas which is notoriously difficult to detect as it is colourless, odourless & tasteless. The best protection against Carbon Monoxide in your home is to install a Carbon Monoxide Alarm. We can provide stand-alone CO alarms as well as Carbon Monoxide detectors that combine both smoke detection and CO alarm protection in one ceiling-mounted unit.
Multi-sensor Smoke Alarms
Multi-sensor alarms are capable of more than one kind of smoke detection, such as optical and heat detectors, and can also include other detection abilities, such as carbon monoxide detection. A Multi-sensor alarm provides excellent early warning in the event of a fire and can also reduce the number of unwanted false alarms.