Out of all of the security systems a building may have in place, the fire alarm system is definitely at the top of the list of ones that no one wants broken. There’s a reason that when something spreads quickly, it spreads “like wildfire” because fire does not take a lot or very long to spread across a wide area, especially if the conditions are right. Luckily the companies that manufacture these systems are aware of that possibility, and thus have installed the means by which the operators of the fire panel can learn that something is wrong. These are typically known as troubles and supervisory signals. If your building is getting new fire alarm systems in Cedar Rapids Iowa, and you’re worried about the possibility of those systems malfunctioning, here are the main ways the system informs its operators of that occurrence.
Trouble signals
Also known as trouble conditions, this is the fire alarm systems main means of informing its operators that something is wrong. This could extend to any number of scenarios, such as a loss of power, to either the system or to the building, it could be a broken wire on an open circuit, thus no electrical pathway back to the panel, or even just a simple malfunction in communication with the device. The system will notify then operators via a set of displays, either green or yellow, set on the fire alarm panel itself. And if no one is at the panel at the moment, the displays also emit a high pitched sound designed to be as annoying and attention grabbing as possible.
Supervisory signals
This refers to the “supervising” systems that the fire alarm system has, where operators can monitor the system in depth. Utilizing a series of switches attached to every facet of the fire alarm system, operators can monitor everything from the pressure in the tank, the sprinkler valves, and the building’s suppression system. Supervisory signals and the systems they’re attached to allow the operators to monitor and look for signs of problems without having to comb the entire building on foot. Making for fast, efficient, and safe troubleshooting of the system.
Finally, if you’re worried about people missing these signals and them turning off, don’t. While you have to reset an alarm, which can also run out of power if it’s not connected to a larger grid, trouble and supervisory signals don’t stop until the problem is fixed.
If you’re in the market for high powered fire alarm systems for a reasonable price, you’ll find none better than those at Tech Solutions.
