False fire alarms cost businesses and homeowners millions of dollars in lost productivity and damages every year. Even worse, it can lead to real fires because people start to ignore the alarm when it sounds too frequently.
The best way to avoid a false fire alarm is to be aware of its causes.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common causes of false fire alarms so that you can take steps to prevent them from happening in your home, office, or business establishments.
What Are The Types Of Fire Alarms And How Do They Work
Before we proceed, it is essential to understand the different types of fire alarms to determine the causes of false alarms. These are the common types:
- Ionisation Alarm
This type of fire alarm is the most widely used in homes and commercial establishments because it’s cost-effective. It uses a small radioactive source to detect smoke particles early on, making ionisation alarms very accurate, especially with slow smouldering fires.
- Photoelectric Alarm
Although more expensive than ionisation alarms, photoelectric alarms are faster in detecting smoke because they emit a beam of light capable of passing through smoke more easily than ionisation alarms.
- Combination of ionisation and Photoelectric Alarm
This type of fire alarm uses both technologies to detect fires quickly. The best part is that it has the benefits of both types without the costs.
Common Causes of False Fire Alarms
Here are some of the most common causes of false fire alarms that you should be aware of:
Defective sensor
This is probably the most common cause of false fire alarms. One way to avoid it is to regularly clean your alarm’s sensor or replace it if necessary.
Environmental contaminants
Smoke particles from cooking activities, for example, can be mistaken as the smoke produced by a real fire, so make sure you take precautions like turning on the exhaust fan when cooking to keep contaminants away from your fire alarm.
Changes in temperature
When the temperature drops below zero degrees celcius, ionisation alarms might trigger false fires as its sensor will mistake normal household humidity for smoke.
Lack of battery power
If the batteries powering your fire alarm are weak or dead, it will likely produce a false fire alarm. Whether you’re using ionisation or photoelectric alarms, ensure that your batteries are in good condition to avoid unnecessary false fires.
Defective horn or siren
As the primary means of alerting people about a fire, your horn or siren must be in good condition. If it isn’t working correctly, replace it immediately to avoid false alarms.
Dusty environment
Dust particles can accumulate inside ionisation alarm sensors and cause them to detect smoke that doesn’t exist. Regularly clean your sensors or keep them away from dusty situations to avoid this problem.
Aging of fire alarm system
Most alarm systems have a lifespan of about 10 years, so be sure to check if yours is still in good working order before it malfunctions and produces false fires. Also, make sure that your alarm has an audible sound because you need all the help you can get in the case of actual fires.
Incorrect wiring
Even if you’ve followed the wiring instructions to the letter, the chances are that incorrect wiring is still possible. If you suspect that your alarm was installed wrong, get a professional to check it for you.
Interferences from other appliances
Electrical appliances such as microwaves, cordless phones, and wireless routers emit radio waves to trigger the alarm if the alarm is very close to devices that emit strong radio waves.
It may not be able to distinguish radio waves coming from the appliance and radio waves that need to activate its sensor—this could cause the alarm to go off.
How to Prevent False Fire Alarm
Here are the things that you can do to prevent false fire alarms from happening:
- Regularly check for loose wiring or faulty sensors in your alarm.
Even if the installation was done by a professional, this is a good practice. It is also important to have someone knowledgeable about electrical circuits to check the wires and replace burnt fuses if they are damaged.
- Install the right fire alarm.
It doesn’t make sense to get an ionisation alarm for a factory because its machines release small particles of smoke all the time. Likewise, using a photoelectric alarm in your kitchen is not practical because cooking activities emit smoke that can trigger an alarm.
- Have a fire prevention system in place.
It’s not always easy to tell if a fire alarm is false or real, so you must be prepared before and even when the fire occurs. As an individual or homeowner, always make sure that you have enough first-aid kits and fire extinguishers in your home.
You can also install steel doors, fire windows, and fireproof lintels to prevent your home from being ravaged by fire. It is also important to have a fully functional alarm in case you need it.
Fire Safety Protection System From Australian Fire Control
Most causes of false fire alarms are due to improper installation or lack of maintenance. Make sure to have a professional install and check your fire prevention equipment to prevent the inconvenience of responding to a false alarm.
Australian Fire Control installs high-quality passive fire protection systems, such as fire windows and steel doors in Australia. Contact us today to learn more.
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