The best tips for fire alarm installation can often depend a great deal on the type of building or location in which a fire alarm is being installed. In general, however, there are a few basic considerations that anyone installing a fire alarm should keep in mind. Fire alarms should be installed in locations where people will need to hear such an alarm, such as separate floors in a house or rooms in a business divided from other areas in the building. Anyone performing fire alarm installation may also want to consider the use of smoke detectors and how those detectors are installed as well.
Fire alarm installation usually involves the placement of fire alarms in a building that will alert people to smoke and the outbreak of fire. These devices are often somewhat similar to smoke detectors, or may work in tandem with smoke detectors, but may include features most smoke detectors do not. A fire alarm may alert professional emergency personnel, such as fire departments and medical professionals, when a fire breaks out. Fire alarm installation is not necessarily complicated, though this can depend on the type of alarm being installed and can be made more effective with a few considerations.
Someone performing fire alarm installation should consider the locations of any and all fire alarms in a building. Buildings with multiple floors, for example, should have fire alarms on each floor. More than one alarm on each floor may also be necessary, especially if there are multiple residences on a floor. Anyone installing fire alarms should also thoroughly read the instructions and warnings regarding fire alarm installation provided with the alarm being installed.
Even for a building or floor of a building with only one residence, multiple alarms may be a good idea. This depends on how fire alarm installation is being performed and how smoke detectors are being used. If multiple smoke detectors are all being connected to a single fire alarm, for example, then only a single alarm might be sufficient. The smoke detectors should be spread out throughout a house or workplace, however, to detect a fire or smoke as early as possible in any room.
Good fire alarm installation should also consider ensuring the alarm can be heard by everyone inside a house or office building. Alarms in or outside each bedroom can better ensure that people who are sleeping hear the alarms going off. Once installed, fire alarms and smoke detectors should be tested fairly regularly, and the instructions provided with a fire alarm will typically indicate how and when this should be done.