What is the difference between conventional and addressable fire alarms?

The biggest difference between conventional and addressable fire alarms is customizability. Conventional fire alarms sit on the wall or ceiling and go off individually when they detect smoke or fire, making them perfect for small buildings such as individual offices or retail shops. Addressable fire alarms, on the other hand, provide specific information about individual detectors that are invaluable if your office is part of a larger building or building complex. Addressable fire alarm systems can be customized to where different devices have different alarm thresholds based on their locations. Addressable fire alarm systems are typically more expensive than conventional alarms, but the extra information they provide to firefighters and building managers is invaluable.

How does a standard response fire sprinkler work?

Standard response (SR) sprinkler heads are best suited for commercial or industrial buildings, including factories and warehouses. They activate individually to prevent causing water damage where there is no fire present. SR sprinklers take longer to activate than quick response sprinklers, requiring the heat from a fire below to reach a higher temperature before the liquid inside the bulb expands, the glass breaks, and water flows through the sprinkler head. SR sprinklers contain 5 mm glass bulbs that take longer for the expanding liquid inside to burst them. That said, these sprinkler heads still react within seconds, quickly dousing any fire.

How does a quick response fire sprinkler work?

Quick response (QR) sprinkler heads are typical in high-density, light-hazard environments, including hospitals, assisted living facilities, office buildings, and schools. They are also often installed in residences. QR sprinkler heads respond faster to the flames below by activating at a lower temperature than SR sprinklers. They have 3 mm bulbs that allow the liquid inside to expand and break the glass quickly. It’s only appropriate to install QR sprinkler heads in applications that are unlikely to have high ambient temperatures that could trigger a sprinkler head without a fire present.

Which type of building require Fire Hydrant System?

All buildings above 15 meter, Irrespective of height Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals, Assembly, Business Centers, Industrial Properties, Mercantile need fire hydrant system.

Fire Protection System in Building

on June 12, 2020

As mentioned in our other blogs the installation of fire protection systems is imperative in all buildings considering the various fire hazards we face. We at Sujay Fire LLP are a government-approved licensed agency for such installations. We shall be listing out the different types of Fire Protection Systems required for all kinds of buildings.

Residential Sector

Sr. No.	Height	Fire Protection System Suggested
1	Below 15 Meters	Extinguishers on Each Floor
2	15 Meters to 24 Meters	Fire Down comer connected to the overhead water tank with below items on each floor. Extinguisher Hose Reel Drum Fire Hydrant Hose Box and Branch Pipe
3	24 Meters to 45 Meters	Fire Riser connected to an overhead water tank as well as the underground water tank and courtyard ring. With below items on each floor. Extinguisher Hose Reel Drum Fire Hydrant Hose Box and Branch Pipe Manual Call Point Additional Equipments: Courtyard Hydrant System Fire Alarm Panel Pump Room with Fire Panel Mechanical Ventilation in Basements
4	45 Meters and Above	Fire Riser connected to an overhead water tank as well as the underground water tank and courtyard ring. With below items on each floor. Extinguisher Hose Reel Drum Fire Hydrant Hose Box and Branch Pipe Manual Call Point Smoke Detectors Automatic Sprinkler System Additional Equipments: Courtyard Hydrant System Fire Alarm Panel Pump Room with Fire Panel Staircase and Lift Pressurization Mechanical Ventilation in Basements

Commercial Sector

Sr. No.	Height	Fire Protection System Suggested
1	Below 10 Meters	Extinguishers/ if Floorplate is more than 500 sq meters then sr no 3
2	10 Meters to 15 Meters	Fire Down comer connected to the overhead water tank with below items on each floor. With below items on each floor. Extinguisher Hose Reel Drum Fire Hydrant Hose Box and Branch Pipe Manual Call Point Smoke Detectors
3	15 Meters and Above	Fire Down comer connected to the overhead water tank with below items on each floor. With below items on each floor. Extinguisher Hose Reel Drum Fire Hydrant Hose Box and Branch Pipe Manual Call Point Smoke Detectors Automated Sprinkler System Additional Equipments: Courtyard Hydrant Pump Room Staircase and Lift Pressurization Mechanical Ventilation in Basements

Sr. No.

Height

Fire Protection System Suggested

1

Below 10 Meters

Extinguishers/ if Floorplate is more than 500 sq meters then sr no 3

2

10 Meters to 15 Meters

Fire Down comer connected to the overhead water tank with below items on each floor. With below items on each floor.

Extinguisher
Hose Reel Drum
Fire Hydrant
Hose Box and Branch Pipe
Manual Call Point
Smoke Detectors

3

15 Meters and Above

Fire Down comer connected to the overhead water tank with below items on each floor. With below items on each floor.

Extinguisher
Hose Reel Drum
Fire Hydrant
Hose Box and Branch Pipe
Manual Call Point
Smoke Detectors
Automated Sprinkler System

Additional Equipments:

Courtyard Hydrant
Pump Room
Staircase and Lift Pressurization
Mechanical Ventilation in Basements

Industrial Sector

The national building code has broad guidelines based height and size of the industry but for this sector, we strongly suggest that there should be a professional audit carried out to identify the level of fire hazard present at the premises, and then accordingly Fire Protection System should be installed. It is our experience that a blanket policy is not applicable in industrial areas as there may be a low threat on the shop floor area whereas there may be a high threat in the packaging area or even vice versa.
We hope the above has helped you in understanding the basics of how Fire Protection Systems are selected for different types of buildings.

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