Development was built in the early 90’s and despite the fact that legislation in force at the time provided for such, no fire alarm system was installed.

The development comprised of 12 separate common areas giving access to a total of 66 apartments.

A typical common area was as follows:

-       Two flights of external entrance steps which led to the main entrance door of the common area at 2^nd storey level.  Underneath the external entrance steps was the electrical meter room/switch room.  Once you entered the common area door you were in a 1.5m wide lobby with an apartment on the left and on the right and in the middle was the stairs to the next level where you had 4 apartment entrance doors around a semi octagon shape landing.

The requirement of the recently granted building Fire Cert called for an L3X Fire Alarm System to be installed.  There was a definite argument to go with a wireless addressable fire alarm system due to the fact that it was a finished building and the challenge involved in carrying out cable runs taking into account the disruption to tenants, achieving the required sound levels and leaving the finished product aesthetically pleasing.  It is important to note that there were a variety of different apartment internal layouts.  Some with long Z-shaped corridors and some duplexes.  Achieving the necessary sound levels was not straightforward by any means and in most cases would involve more than one sounder within most of the apartments.  A sound level survey was carried out to establish this.

Once quantities were agreed on, we submitted a very detailed quotation, a fully transparent breakdown of the costs involved for both a wireless system and a hardwired system. With the quantities involved and high cost of wireless equipment not only did the initial installation costs come in one third more expensive than the hardwired system, but this combined with the higher maintenance of the wireless system including replacement batteries over its expected lifetime, made the hardwired system the definite option.

In order to comply with the requirements of I.S. 3218 Standard and also make the installation aesthetically pleasing it was decided to run PVC trunking with the fire rated cable fixed within trunking with fire rated cable cleats drilled and screwed to the wall at the relevant distances.  This not only secured the cable in compliance but also secured the trunking.  All the trunking joints were accurately mitred.

There are some steps we have to take before and during the fire alarm system installation, make sure that your fire safety company complies with all standards and requirements required by Irish legislation.

The L3X main building fire alarm system was complimented by the installation of an LD2 domestic smoke alarm system in each individual apartment,  The project was completed on time with the minimum inconvenience and the finished installation was found to be very satisfactory by all concerned.

CFSG is a one stop shop that supplies all your Fire Safety needs, email us info@cfsg.ie or call us 01 295 7540. CSFG operates a nationwide service backed up by a 24 hour call monitoring facility.

As the risk of fire is always there, your fire detection systems need to be ready to perform when you need them most.

Through our regular comprehensive servicing and maintenance services, our technicians aim to provide properly functioning fire equipment and systems. We service a huge range of fire protection systems for organisations large and small and home service.

24/7 support that comes to you

CFSG technicians are on 24-hour standby; ready to undertake emergency repairs to your fire-protection systems and products. Rapid response in Ireland.

All businesses must think before neglecting fire alarm maintenance.  It is really difficult to run a business nowadays and to undertake this challenge you should consider many conditions. Safety is one of these, you are responsible for the lives under your ceiling.

• Facility owners and managers should evaluate their need for fire alarm systems. These are important devices to keep personnel and property safe.
• Fire alarm systems must be installed serviced and maintained under IS 3218:2013
  
• Experienced fire safety providers can help to evaluate your facility and determine how best to install the fire alarm systems as well as what types would work best.

CFSG also offers SA3000 Silent Alert Commercial Fire Safe Paging System for people who are deaf

This is a deaf fire alarm interface that links with any existing commercial fire alarm system and complies with all the relevant parts of I.S. 3218:2013 and EN54-25 2008 & BS5839-1 2002. This system can help make you compliant with Part 3 of the Disability Act 2005. Other workplace alerting options can be integrated with this system such as telephone, intercom, etc.

CFSG is a one stop shop that supplies all your Fire Safety needs, email us info@cfsg.ie or call us 01 295 7540. CSFG operates a nationwide service backed up by a 24 hour call monitoring facility.

With a conventional system, there is no way of pinpointing the exact location of the fire. However, by wiring your building into different zones, you can get a general idea of where the fire is. For instance, if you have two floors, you could wire the first as ‘zone 1’ and the second as zone 2. So if a fire occurs in zone 1, you know that the fire is somewhere on the first floor.
Wiring differences
Addressable alarm systems connect devices using a loop. This is where one wire connects all devices to the control panel. Both ends of the wire loop connect to the control panel.

With a conventional alarm, each device will be connected to the control panel via its own wire, rather than a shared one. One end of the wire will be touching the device, and another touching the control panel.
Which is the cheaper option for you?
Conventional alarm panels cost a lot less to buy but are more expensive to install. This is because each device that is being connected needs its own wire. With addressable systems, one wire loop will connect several devices. This means conventional systems require more wire and more man hours during the installation phase.

Additionally, addressable systems have a range of other facilities that can help save money. For instance, addressable alarm panels monitor the air flow through smoke detectors to prevent the occurrence of false alarms, which can be costly to a business.
Which is more reliable?
The addressable alarm panel is also the more reliable of the two. This is because the wire connects to the control panel at both ends (see the diagram above). If one end of the loop becomes severed, signals can still be sent to the control panel via the other end of the loop. Loop isolation modules are also used to separate devices on the loop. This means that if one device becomes disconnected, it won’t disable the circuit. With a conventional system, if a wire has become severed, the device will become disconnected.
Overall
Functionally, the addressable fire alarm unit is superior, which can help prevent costly activities and save time when detecting a fire. It’s also cheaper and easier to install. But in terms of buying price, a conventional system is cheaper, and will meet the functional needs of small premises where a sophisticated system is not necessary.

Source: Fire Magazine